


Don't Let Go

by HeavyyMetalChick, waterproofbacon



Category: Promare (2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Complete, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Sex, Fate & Destiny, Illustrated, Light Angst, M/M, Minor Violence, PBB2020, Promare Big Burn 2020, Strangers to Lovers, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:27:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 25,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24539989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeavyyMetalChick/pseuds/HeavyyMetalChick, https://archiveofourown.org/users/waterproofbacon/pseuds/waterproofbacon
Summary: Looking for work, handyman Galo travels into the far countryside of Japan after hearing of a small town in desperate need of repairs. Galo finds himself on a project to repair the large shrine at the bottom of the mountain, which always seems to produce more questions than it does answers. One of which is the stunning miko who only shows their face during Summer festivals.Lio is the prized miko of the shrine. He has been raised from birth to be a sacrificial bride for Kray, the demon on the top of the mountain. His entire life, he has been groomed to be the perfect bride: obedient, tame, and useful. On the outside, he plays the docile sacrifice, but on the inside, his anger burns. He knows the truth--once every thousand years Kray descends the mountain in search of a bride. If he finds one, he kidnaps her and returns to his mountain. If he doesn’t, the entire village will be slaughtered. But Lio is not prepared to resign himself to such a fate.When Galo accidentally meets Lio, Lio begins to believe that he might have a chance at a normal life. The only thing they have to do is change fate and stop Kray.
Relationships: Lio Fotia/Galo Thymos
Comments: 11
Kudos: 57
Collections: Promare Big Burn 2020





	1. Cover Art

**Author's Note:**

> This story was made as part of the Promare Big Burn challenge! The story was written by @waterproofbacon and the art was done by @HeavyyMetalChick. We hope you enjoy Don't Let Go!
> 
> This fic also has a playlist that I listened to while I was writing this! You can find it [here on Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1UmtRX8Duk0gOu1ALyOhkr?si=ujJ-oP1TRe28bNh_tqivKQ)

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/188145128@N07/49972964922/in/dateposted-public/)


	2. The Matsuri Miko

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "And I found love where it wasn't supposed to be  
> Right in front of me  
> Talk some sense to me."  
> -I Found, Amber Run

Galo drummed his fingers on the steering wheel of his van. The humid Summer air was blowing in from the open window, touseling his already messy blue hair. He stole a glance at his GPS and smiled; he was traveling to a new town for a job and he was almost there. This time of the year was always prosperous for him. The Winter had been especially rough this year, and the damages caused by the ruthless season were beginning to pop up. He was looking forward to meeting and helping new people.

Galo had never been this far out into the country before, but he couldn’t complain. There was something quite nice about a long drive out of the city. Away from the noise. Away from the life he’d been living for the past four months. Following the instructions from the GPS, he soon found himself outside the house of his employer. He’d made good time, and had actually arrived sooner than inspected. Good thing too, because his body was more than ready for a good stretch after being crammed in the car for hours. 

Galo stuck his head out of the window, squinting at the family sign on the outside of the house. He smiled when he verified that this was, indeed, the correct house--he’d been a little worried that he had made a wrong turn earlier. As he approached the door he noted all of the repairs that he could do. Stuffed gutters, a gap in the wood, a creaky step. He had only been called over to fix one of the windows, but he couldn’t just ignore the other issues. It was just the type of person he was.

Galo often found himself doing much more work than he had been paid for, which often caused him to only have just enough money to function. Transitioning to living almost entirely from his truck had helped a lot. And it was more than worth it to him. Afterall, he couldn’t get enough of the faces of the people whom he’d helped before. He always wanted to leave each of his customer’s homes much better than when he had found them. The home owners themselves were also left in a better place than before their paths crossed with Galo’s, though he was not aware of this fact.

Galo groaned as he left the truck, stretching his arms high above his head as soon as he had the room to do so. He took himself to the door and rang the doorbell, putting on his best grin as he did. He wanted to make a good first impression.

“Coming!” came a voice within the house. A few moments later, the door opened up and an older man appeared. “Ah, you must be Galo,” said the man, “The name’s Ignis. Good to finally meet you”

Galo’s smile widened, “Yup, that’s me! At your service,”

“Good, good. Come in, I’ll show you to your room,” said Ignis, motioning for Galo to come inside and follow.

Ignis was an old friend of Galo’s family, though Galo had never gotten the chance to meet him before now. On top of being the one who hired Galo, he had been kind enough to house Galo during his stay.

“Thank you again for your hospitality. It’s a big help,” Galo said as they moved into the house.

“Oh, it’s no problem. After everything your father has done for me it’s the least I could do. And you’re doing me a huge favor by helping me fix this place up. Ah, here’s your room,” he said, opening the door.

It was a small room, but it was more than enough. Natural light filtered in through the window, making the room seem larger than it actually was. In the corner was a futon, which had been folded rather neatly. The doors on the opposing wall indicated a closet. The AC attached to the ceiling whirred almost silently, the breeze it created tousling Galo’s hair. 

“It’s not much,” said Ignis, “But you’re more than welcome to use it.”

“It’s plenty. Thank you, Ignis,”

“Sure thing. I’m sure you’re hungry. I have lunch if you would like some,”

Relief washed over Galo at the news of food. He was “That would be perfect! You’re a life-saver,”

“Of course. Go on and take a seat, I’ll get the food.” Ignis said, moving into the kitchen.

Galo sat down at the dining table and looked around. The house was fairly small, and had a the comfortable atmosphere of a space that had been lived in for many years. The room he was currently in was functioning as a living room and a dining room. There were only two chairs for the dining table, which made sense considering that Ignis lived alone. A decently-sized TV sat in the corner on top of a stand that was just the right size to hold the weight of the device. A relatively comfortable-looking sofa sat in front of the TV, right behind a coffee table with a glass top. The house was very tidy, which was surprising to Galo considering how little time Ignis spent in his house. A police officer by trade, Ignis spent most of his time at the station in the middle of town. 

Ignis returned with two bowls of rice and two plates of mackerel. “I caught these over the weekend,” he said as he placed the food down.

“They look great! Thanks for the food!” Galo said before digging in. There was nothing like a bowl of hot rice with freshly cooked fish. It had been so long since Galo had eaten a genuinely home-cooked meal. “A guy could get used to this, this is really delicious!”

Ignis smiled, the skin around his eyes wrinkling naturally from habit, “Why thank you.”

A bright flash of color caught Galo’s eye. On the table was a pile of mail and other papers. Ignis had managed to keep everything in the room neat and tidy except for the table, but Galo couldn’t judge. Back when he’d lived in an apartment, it was always in a state of disaster. Galo tilted his head so he could see the letters better since the paper was upside-down. He read the word _matsuri_ \--a festival.

Galo grinned, “There’s a festival coming?” he asked. Festivals always brought up a happy nostalgia for Galo. His parents used to take him when he was little. He missed those times.

Ignis nodded, “There certainly is. The pride and joy of our town is our shrine. The _matsuri_ is always an impressive event, and the whole town makes a point of participating. It always has great food and games, but most people agree that the dance is the best part. I’d like to bring you with me if you’re not too busy.”

“Of course I’ll go! When is it?” he asked. The details of the festival were buried under the pile of mail. 

Ignis smiled, “It’s tonight.”

Galo could feel his excitement growing. Not only had he found work and a place to stay, but there was going to be a festival tonight? “I knew coming here was a great choice. I can’t wait!”

~*~

“Augh! Not again!” Galo exclaimed, frowning at the stick in his hand. This had been his third attempt at the _kingyo-suki--_ goldfish-scooping--game, and he’d busted a hole through his net yet again. “I’ve never been very good at this game,” he admitted to the game attendant with a laugh.

 _Kingyo-suki_ was a classic attraction for _matsuri_ festivals, and Galo always made a point of playing whenever he attended a _matsuri._ Granted, he’d never caught one himself, but it was still fun. When he was little, the stall attendants used to take pity on him and let him take a goldfish home anyway.

“Wanna try again?” the girl asked sweetly, armed with more plastic nets in her hand.”The trick is to grab one fast before the paper part dissolves,”

“No, I think I’ll quit while I’m ahead. Thanks, though. This was fun.” He stood up from the plastic pool and went on his way. He doubted a goldfish would like his on-the-road lifestyle anyway.

It had been quite a long time since Galo had gotten the chance to enjoy himself at a festival. Life had been pretty hectic for him since he’d dropped out of university and had started up an odd-jobs business. He’d been on the road for the past year and a half, making just enough to get by without being totally miserable. It’d been tough in the beginning, but he was so much happier now than he was back before he’d begun this part of his life. His luck on goldfish-catching was still as awful as ever, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that his life was going in exactly the right direction here in this small village. He couldn’t wait to see what it had in store for him.

Galo’s stomach rumbled. The sun had set at least two hours ago, and the lunch he’d shared with Ignis was long gone. Luckily, there was an abundance of delicious aromas coming from the line of food stalls further into the festival grounds…

A hand on Galo’s shoulder stopped him in his tracks. Galo turned to see Ignis. “There you are, the dance is about to start. Trust me, you won’t want to miss this.”

Galo considered his stomach for a moment, but shrugged it off. He’d go get food after. If this dance was as good as Ignis said, he needed to see it. They moved together with the flow of people, getting closer to the venue.

Despite being in the middle of the crowd, Galo had been blessed with height, and could see over the heads of the festival-attendees. He noted the small stage that the crowd had gathered around as well as a wide screen that sat behind the stage. Lanterns lined the stage on the ground, casting up a pale light. A musical melody began to play, and the crowd began to grow at the sound of flutes and drums. Galo figured that the whole town had come together to watch since he was beginning to feel more and more squished. Luckily for him, he had height on his side, and did not have to worry about finding a spot to see among the sea of people. 

As the drums rumbled into a crescendo, the chattering of the crowd died down. The performance would begin shortly. At the end of the stage, a light shone upon the screen, revealing the shadow of a person behind it. Galo watched as the shadow moved towards the end of the screen, the rumored miko appearing out from behind the screen. The soft light from the lanterns made the miko’s pale ebony skin faintly glow. Her short white hair shone brightly, a sparkling star amidst the evening. She wore embellished traditional clothing that ebbed and flowed with her every movement. Galo heard the twinkling sound of the _suzu_ before he saw it, the bells emerging from beneath the many folds of the miko’s clothing. In her other hand was a branch, a ritual icon that would connect her to the gods.

Surely, Galo thought, every god in existence would be in attendance to watch this dance since this miko was so breathtakingly beautiful. Any god would be a fool to miss this show. 

Her eyes were steady and determined as she began her dance. Each step was strong and purposeful, with an amount of grace that Galo had previously thought unattainable by humans. She moved with confidence, absolutely sure of her next step as she bobbed and glided along with the music. The sound of the _suzu_ snapped Galo’s attention away from the miko’s feet and back to her face. He wondered how anyone could be that beautiful. Suddenly, Galo understood why so many of the townspeople had insisted that he come to see this dance. He felt as if he was under a spell, as if he had been pulled into a realm that was not quite his own. She moved the branch above her head as she performed the final step of the dance, the music coming to an end. 

It was only then that Galo realized his mouth was open. And just like that, she was gone, disappearing back behind the screen without another sound. Galo’s heart ached as he watched her go. He felt like he had discovered a piece of himself that he hadn’t realized was missing. And now he was watching that piece leave. He had to know more.

Just as he began to move in the direction he had seen the miko go, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking back, he was Ignis who shook his head slowly. “You can’t,”

Only two small words but they meant absolutely everything. There was something about that miko that didn’t quite add up. And the town too, for that matter. Whatever it was, Galo did not like the way that it smelled. But knowing him, he would find himself caught up in it sooner or later.

Galo stole one last glance towards the paper screen before turning back to Ignis and throwing on a half-grin, “Let’s go get some grub.”

~*~

Weeks passed, and still Galo couldn’t stop thinking about the beautiful _miko_ he’d seen. He’d never felt such awe before, and he couldn’t help but want to meet her, even if it was just to tell her how beautiful Galo thought she was. But for whatever reason, whenever Galo asked about that _miko_ in particular, people got quiet and tried to change the subject. Something weird was going on, but he didn’t know what.

In the meantime, word of Galo’s handiness had spread through the town. He’d received requests from other townspeople who needed work on their houses. He would be lying if he said it didn’t make him happy. Money had been on the tight side lately, and a constant stream of requests like this could be just what he needed to be able to stop stressing about money to focus on helping people. Ignis had been kind enough to allow him to stay with him for longer as well. Truly, things were beginning to look up for Galo.

Today was a break day for Galo, and he had decided to spend it working on his car. The damn thing was pretty beat up at this point, as Galo had been traveling so often for work. Lately, it had been making some pretty disturbing noises--he knew he had to get it fixed, but the problem was money. In all honesty, he needed a new engine, but that would be incredibly expensive. Maybe once he was done in this town, he could afford that kind of fix. In the meantime, however, he could make small adjustments to keep him moving.

“Excuse me, are you Galo-san?” said a voice from behind him.

Startled, Galo jumped and hit his head on the raised hood on the car, “Ow! Fuck, that hurt!” he yelled, rubbing his head gingerly. 

Galo turned to see who had scared the hell out of him and was met with a small _miko._ She had light pink hair that had been tied into a messy ponytail to keep it out of her face. Her bright blue eyes looked at Galo with a mixture of surprise and amusement, most likely due to the way he had reacted. Just like the rest of the _miko_ who called the shrine their home, she wore the typical white _kosode_ robe with long sleeves and red _hakama_ pants.

Realizing that his first words to a _miko_ had been ‘fuck’, Galo immediately bowed, “I’m so sorry! Yes, my name is Galo. How may I help you, ma’am?” He made sure to make his words polite and courteous to make up for his blunder.

Surprisingly, he _miko_ laughed. “It’s no problem, dude. I’m sorry I surprised you.”

Galo tried to hide his surprise from his face. He’d seen many of the _miko_ milling about the town from time to time and all of them had been as quiet and polite as possible. And they all made it a point to speak formally. This one, however, seemed to have no problem with informality. Galo had to admit that it was a nice surprise.

“My name is Aina, and I have a job for you,” she said, producing a piece of paper from her long sleeves, “Or, I guess I should say that my sister, the Head Priestess of the shrine, has a job for you. It’s all written here, but basically, the Winter did a number on the shrine’s roof and it needs repairs. We were hoping you could help us out.”

Galo took the papers from her and glanced over them without really reading them. Something about long blocks of writing usually made his eyes glaze over, but he didn’t want to tell Aina that. Still, this seemed like an easy enough job. He’d done plenty of roof work over the years, and felt plenty comfortable doing that kind of work. “That’s definitely something I can help with,” he said with a confident smile.

“Good. You don’t have to answer now, but if you decide you want to do it, come to the shrine with those papers,” she turned as if to leave, but stopped halfway, “Make sure you read those papers before you agree. There’s some rules in there that you’ll want to know before you jump in.”

Galo was a little confused, but he didn’t ask any questions, “Gotcha. Thanks for the heads up.”

“Of course. I’ll be on my way then. Good day.” And just like that, she was gone.

Galo looked down at the papers in his hands. A job like this was just what he needed, but there was something about the way Aina had spoken in the end that bothered him. He couldn’t quite describe it, but he just felt strange. Still, it was a good opportunity that he didn’t want to let pass him by. “I guess I’ll be visiting the shrine pretty soon,” he said to himself before stuffing the papers in his pockets and returning to his car.

* * *

On Monday, Galo began his work at the shrine. True to his word, he had spent his weekend looking over the papers and working out the logistics with the High Priestess. Aina hadn’t been exaggerating when she said there were a lot of rules. Most of them revolved around Galo doing his job without bothering the other _miko._ There were some places that were off-limits to Galo, most likely because of the sacred nature of the place. Most importantly, he was not to speak to anyone unnecessarily. Rules like that would certainly make the job more boring, but they seemed easy enough to follow. Thus, Galo had met with the High Priestess to discuss payment and logistics. He would repair the roof and would get a weekly check as long as he reported his progress every week. He would also get extra if he helped trim some of the larger trees that lines the perimeter of the property. Simple enough.

Galo set his ladder up in a sturdy place and, after checking that his bag was secure on his back, started climbing up to the roof. “Oof,” Galo muttered to himself, “This is pretty bad.” He saw missing tiles from the ornate roof, evidence of water damage, and a ton of dead foliage. This would take longer than a week for sure. 

Not wishing to waste any daylight, Galo got to work. He was lucky that it was nice outside; there was nothing worse than working outside on a scorching Summer day. Galo took his bag off and started unloading his tools. He hadn’t been expecting this much damage, so he’d packed light--he wouldn’t make that mistake next time. In the meantime, he would start by removing the broken tiles and reattaching the ones that had been knocked loose. That would surely take up most of his day. Stretching his arms above his head, Galo set off to work.

It must’ve been three hours later that Galo heard what sounded like a song coming from somewhere close. Galo stopped his movements and leaned in to listen. Sure enough, a sweet and soft tune swept its way through the air. Galo sat cross-legged on the roof and smiled. He hadn’t heard this tune before, but he liked it. Galo let out a whistle, “You sure know how to sing. What’s that song called?”

The singing cut off abruptly with a small gasp.

Galo frowned, “Aw, don’t stop. I really like your song.”

The singer did not let out another sound.

“I know you’re down there, and I’m gonna keep talking to you until you start talking to me,” he waited, “Or I could just come down there and ask you face-to-face.”

“N-no!” He cleared his throat, collecting himself, “No, that is quite alright. I will speak to you from here.”

“Now that’s more like it!” Galo stood and let out a laugh. The voice was very soft, but unmistakably male. At least, that’s what it sounded like to Galo.

“Who...who are you? You should be up there, you will get in terrible trouble,” the voice said fiercely.

“You can call me Galo!” Galo said proudly, “Thanks for the warning, but I’m supposed to be up here! I’m here to fix the roof,”

“...I see,” The boy went silent once again.

To Galo, it felt strange to keep working away knowing that someone was in the room below him. Not to mention, this person’s timidness had provoked his curiosity. He wondered if he could get the boy to talk some more.

“So, what’s your name, stranger? I have to admit, it’s nice to know that there’s someone else here. Work like this goes by much faster with someone to talk to.” He hammered a few roof tiles in place to emphasize his point.

“You do not know who I am?” he asked, sounding slightly surprised.

Galo didn’t know how he was supposed to know anyone in this shrine considering he’d only just started working there, but he answered anyway. “Um, no? I assume you help out here like everyone else? Although you’re the first guy I’ve seen, er, _heard_ in this place. It seems like this shrine is filled with girls, is that just me?”

“No, you are correct.”

“Huh. Good to know,” Galo shifted one of the loose tiles into place and began reinforcing it, “I guess that makes you a pretty lucky guy, huh?”

Galo wasn’t sure why, but the boy seemed rather sad when he spoke next. “...Not...not necessarily.”

Galo scrunched his eyebrows together in worry, had he accidentally offended this person? Maybe it was best to leave him alone. There were plenty of other patches he could work on anyway.

“Lio,”

It was almost too soft to hear, but Galo had managed to catch it. “Lio?” Galo repeated.

“Lio. My name is Lio.”

Galo grinned, his previous worry vanishing as quickly as it had appeared. “Well it’s nice to meet you, Lio. And I’m sorry for bugging you. Sometimes people tell me I can be a bit...intense,” he let out a nervous chuckle, “I’ll go so you can get back to your song.”

“Um!” said Lio suddenly, “I-if it is not too much of a bother to you, I would not mind if you stayed for longer. I do not get to speak to people very often, so…” he trailed off.

That was enough of an invitation for Galo. Reinvigorated, he agreed, “Sure thing, man! I’ll just keep chatting away then.”

Galo wasn’t always the best at making small-talk, but he did his best. And Lio, though quiet, was able to keep the conversation going. Lio was definitely odd, but there was something about him that made Galo want to learn more about him. He hoped he would be able to keep talking to him in the future.

“It looks like the section here has some water damage. Has it been leaking?” Galo asked Lio.

“Mmm, it has. But it has not been drastic,” Lio replied calmly.

Galo nodded to himself, “Gotcha. I don’t have the right tools here, so I’ll have to come back tomorrow to fix that.”

“So, you are not done yet?” asked Lio.

“Nah, there’s still a lot to do. I’ll probably be up here for at least a few weeks. And I offered to help trim some of the trees too, since a lot of them are starting to touch the roof. So you’ll see me around.” Galo grinned at the thought of that. “I hope I’ll get to talk to you again sometime.”

“This place is my room. I spend a great amount of time here because...well, that does not matter. If you find yourself on this side of the shrine again, I would be happy to speak with you again.”

Galo grinned and started packing his things to move on. “It’s a deal then.”

“Oh, and Galo?” Lio started.

“Yeah?”

“A favor. Kindly do not tell anyone that you have spoken to me. We could both very well get into trouble if others knew.” Galo could’ve sworn he heard a small sigh come from the room below.

It was a strange request, but not one that Galo would have a hard time keeping. He wanted to ask why they would get in trouble, but he remembered the rules that had been set in place for him. The High Priestess had a reputation for being very serious, and from what Galo had heard, she wouldn’t be happy if she learned that Galo was breaking one of her rules. “Yeah, no problem. I’ll keep it under wraps. And if anyone comes by, I’ll just tell them I’m crazy and I’m talking to myself,” he chuckled.

“Thank you,” Lio said softly.

“No problem, dude,” Galo slung his bag over his shoulder, “I’m gonna get going now. I’ve got some more stuff to fix.”

“You seem quite busy.”

Galo rubbed stretched as he prepared to get off of the roof. “Yeah, that’s the way I like it. See ya later!”

He walked back to where he had left the ladder and slowly climbed down. He hadn’t expected to make a friend while he was working, but his heart was so happy that he had. Lio. What a strange boy. Galo hoped that he could answer some of his questions the next time they met. Now that he was back on the ground, Galo walked back to where he had been moments before. Despite the shrine only having one floor, Lio’s room had a balcony. The door into the room was actually only a thin screen, which explained why Galo could hear Lio despite Lio being indoors. Galo couldn’t see through the screen, however, and he couldn’t help but wonder what Lio looked like. Maybe next time, he told himself as he turned and went back towards the shrine’s entrance.

* * *

“Oh man, that festival was amazing!” Galo exclaimed loudly. He was back at the shrine doing work on the roof. By chance, he had found Lio again and the two had begun chatting again. Galo would be lying if he didn’t admit that he was happy to talk to Lio once more.

“I take it you enjoyed yourself?” Lio asked. Galo couldn’t be certain, but Lio sounded amused.

“Oh yeah! The food! And the games! It was so much fun! Oh, but the best part was the _kagura_ dance. Hands down.”

“I see.”

“That _miko_ was absolutely gorgeous too. She looked like she was floating! Like, I didn’t know one person could be _that_ graceful and beautiful. It was stunning.” He let out a sigh, “But the townies said that I can never meet her.” 

They wouldn’t even tell him why he couldn’t meet her. He assumed that she must be incredibly important, so maybe she was just busy? Even seeing her another time would make him happy. Suddenly, an idea popped into his head. “Hey, do you know her, Lio? The _miko_ , I mean.”

“...Yes I do,” Lio said after a brief pause.

Excitement hit Galo in his chest, “Seriously?! Do you think you could help me meet her? Ever since I saw his dance my soul has been aflame! I feel like I have this energy that I never had before! It’s amazing. And I guess I just wanna thank her, y’know?”

“...”

“Hey, ya still there?” Galo asked, confused.

“I am.”

“Well, whaddaya think? Can you help me out?”

“I am afraid that is not possible.”

Galo frowned at the rejection, “Whaaa? C’mon! Just a little, tiny meeting. Please?”

“It is not up to me, and I truly must be going now. I have my duties to attend to. Goodbye.”

Galo did not miss the curt way that his friend had spoken to him. “H-hey, wait a sec!”

The sound of shuffling could be heard as the person got up and left the room.

Galo sighed, “Was it something I said?” he mumbled to himself.

When Galo went home, he was still thinking about the way Lio had reacted. Galo didn’t recall saying anything offensive, but it was possible he’d offended Lio. He would just need to apologize the next time he talked to him.

Ignis was inside the living room when Galo walked through the door. “Hey there, Galo,” Ignis said with a warm smile, “How was work?”

“Pretty good, thanks for asking. Um, can I ask you something, Ignis?”

“Sure. What’s on your mind?” Ignis motioned for Galo to join him on the sofa.

Galo gladly complied; he was happy to get off of his feet. “It’s just...I guess I’m kinda confused. Maybe it’s because I’m not from around here, but nobody will talk to me about that _miko_ from the festival even though I know they all saw her. And the shrine is weird too. There’s a ton of _miko_ for one, and they rarely talk to each other. You’d think that a place filled with people would be loud, but it’s almost silent at all times. It’s just...weird to me. Can you fill me in? Am I missing something?”

Ignis leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees, “That’s quite the question, Galo.”

“Sorry about that”

“No, it’s natural that you would be at least a little curious about things around here. But trust me, Galo, you don’t want to know. That shrine and that _miko_ both have important duties to fulfill, and any disruptions could be disastrous. So people try to keep their distance and let them do their thing. And remember, it’s not like you’re living here. You’re only here temporarily until there’s no more work. So my advice? Do your work well and then go on your way. You’ll be safer and saner that way.”

Galo didn’t quite know what to do with all of that, but he was too tired to fight with it. So instead, he nodded and excused himself to his room. Perhaps everything he had seen and heard would start making sense after a nap. That's what he would choose to believe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End of Chapter 1! What will Galo do now that the mysterious Lio has caught his attention? I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
> 
> This project was completed together with @HeavyyMetalChick, who made some wonderful art for the story. Be sure to give her some love!
> 
> This fic also has a playlist that I listened to while I was writing this! You can find it [here on Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1UmtRX8Duk0gOu1ALyOhkr?si=ujJ-oP1TRe28bNh_tqivKQ)


	3. Take Me With You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I can show you the world  
> Shining, shimmering splendid,  
> Tell me, Princess, now when did you  
> Last let your heart decide?"  
> -A Whole New World, Walt Disney Records

“Hey,” Galo said a week later through a mouthful of food. He had started eating his lunch up on the roof as an excuse to chat with the boy downstairs. “How come you don’t want me to see your face?”

Lio gave him an immediate response, “Because it’s improper.”

“Haaaaaah? Improper how?”

“I do not make the rules. That is simply what I have been told.”

“You’ve gotta be kidding me!” Galo exclaimed, “I see people every day and nobody has ever called me a perv. Are you sure you’re not just saying that to make fun of me?”

A small laugh sounded from below, “I should have known that would be your response. You are surprisingly predictable.”

“Hey!”

“I did not mean to offend. I like that part of you. You are simple and honest. Straight-forward.”

Galo blushed and scratched the back of his head, “My bad. Thanks.”

He stuffed his face with another bite of his sandwich, chewing as he thought. There had been something that had been bugging him for awhile now, but he was a bit reluctant to ask. This was a new feeling for Galo, but he had been doing his best to watch his words after the last time he had caused the boy downstairs to suddenly leave. He still didn’t know what exactly had caused the boy to leave, but he wasn’t eager to make it happen again. Instead, he would do his best to watch his words. Though going from no filter at all to some semblance of a one was a bit harder than he had originally thought.

“Might I ask you a question, Galo?” Lio said, breaking the silence.

Galo took a drink of water before answering, “Yeah, what’s up?” 

“You are...not from here, yes?” Lio asked after a moment.

Galo cocked his eyebrow up. Lio sounded hesitant, but Galo didn’t know why. “Mhm. What gave it away?”

“You do not think like the other people here. I suppose you seem rather different.”

Galo smirked, “Yeah, I think I know what you mean. But it’s pretty much like that wherever I go, you know?”

A huff of breath, “If I am being truthful, cannot say that I understand the feeling. Is it not difficult to feel out of place all of the time?”

“Mmmmmm, I dunno. I guess I used to notice it more in the beginning, but I never thought much of it,” Galo scratched the back of his head, a habit he had whenever he talked about himself, “But people tell me it’s because I’ve got a big heart. And I always have fun wherever I go, regardless of whether I fit in or not,”

Lio hummed. Galo tried to picture what face he was making, but it was difficult to do without knowing what he looked like. “Why did you come to this town in the first place?”

“Do you know Ignis?” Galo asked

“I believe he is a police officer, yes?”

“Yeah, him. He was friends with my parents way back when. I don’t really remember him since it was so long ago, but he remembered me. Anyway, he called me a few months ago asking if I could come out to fix up his house. I didn’t have any plans, so I agreed and now I’m here.”

“Could he not have found someone here to repair his house?”

“That’s what I’ve been wondering too, honestly. And I think it’s because he heard about...ah, sorry. This is kinda sad, but um...my parents died in a fire when I was young. And I think- I think maybe that’s why Ignis called me up.”

“I am very sorry, Galo. I did not intend to make you think about sad memories. I apologize-”

“No, no, it’s fine. Really. It was a long time ago. I don’t tell many people about my parents but I dunno, there’s just something about you that makes it so easy to talk to.”

“No one has ever paid me that kind of complement before. Thank you, Galo.”

Galo grinned, “You’re welcome.” He checked his watch and realized that his lunch break was over. “Geez, I keep chatting and not working. I’m gonna be here till sundown at this point, haha.”

“My apologies. This was a pleasant distraction, but we both have duties that we must attend to.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. What do you need to do now?”

“Prayer and chores. It is the same as every day.”

“Gotcha. Doesn’t it get boring doing the same thing ever day?”

“Hmmm,” Lio pondered for a moment, “I have never minded the schedule, but I do wish that I could see more than the shrine grounds.”

“Why don’t you?”

“I cannot leave. It is my duty to stay here.”

Galo could tell that this was connected to the shrine’s rules, and it was part of what made Lio so mysterious. Galo didn’t know why Lio had to stay, but it didn’t sit right with him. “I’ll take you then. Just for a little bit. Nobody will notice, promise.” They hadn’t gotten caught talking afterall, and Galo was starting to feel bolder.

“I...I do not know,” Lio sounded nervous, as expected. He most likely feared what the High Priestess would do.

“You don’t want to?” Galo asked.

“No, it is not that. Simply...simply, I worry about the consequences. What would happen if we are discovered?”

“We’ll go during the night, and I’ll bring you back before anyone finds out you left. But if you don’t want to go, then I won’t force you.”

“...”

Galo shifted in place as he thought. After a moment, he said, “I’ll tell you what. I’ll come here tonight and wait for you. If you want to go, we’ll go. And if not, I’ll leave and we’ll pretend it never happened. Give it some thought, okay?”

“...Okay.”

“Okay. I’ve got some trees to trim and you’ve got some chores, so I’ll see you later.”

“Mmm. Please do not fall from the trees.”

Galo laughed, “I’m a professional, Lio! I won’t fall! Besides, I’ve got a pretty hard head to protect me,”

Lio didn’t say anything else. The sound of shifting fabric and creaking tatami let Galo know that he was alone again. He wasn’t expecting the conversation to go the way that it had, but he couldn’t complain. He finally had a chance to spend more time with Lio, and maybe, maybe, he might even get to see his face. Galo smiled as he brushed the twigs and leaves into a disposable bag. He couldn’t wait until sundown.

* * *

Praying proved absolutely impossible for Lio. It was rare for him to have this lack of focus, but it was not entirely unexpected. Galo had walked into his life and offered him that which he had been wishing for for most of his life, but he felt so scared to take his hand. For as long as he could remember, he had been told that leaving the shrine was not an option. Could he defy the rule he’d lived by for so long?

Lio sighed softly. Clearly, he would get very little praying done with his mind so occupied with thoughts of adventuring with Galo. Deciding it best to not waste his time anymore, he stood from his kneeling position and left the prayer area. It would be disrespectful to take up space in that room if he had no intention of praying, after all. Instead, Lio set off to finish up his daily chores. Most of his responsibilities revolved around the kitchen, as it was part of his training to be a perfect wife. While he was not on cooking duty today, there were still dishes to be cleaned and preparations to be made for dinner.

Feeling slightly more rebellious than normal, Lio took the long way to the kitchen. This way usually took him around the courtyard and past the zen garden in the back of the shrine grounds. There was something about the continuous pattern that had been created with the stones that put his mind at ease. He often came to this place in the evening when he wanted to be alone with his thoughts. Once he was close enough, Lio crouched down and ran his finger along one of the lines, enjoying the smooth feeling that the rocks gave him.

He sighed again. In many ways, he felt his life was similar to this zen garden. His path had been made for him to tread, and while there was no way for him to jump off, he had no idea where it was taking him. Sometimes his daily routines and training were constant and straight lines, but the uncertainty of his future threw him into spirals.

But now he had a new spiral: Galo. He knew so little of Lio’s situation, and yet, perhaps that was a good thing. Lio knew that the people in town kept a distance from him out of reverence; no one wants to associate with the fiance of a demon, after all. No one offered him any aid or any alternative. No one but Galo. Lio wasn’t entirely sure, but Galo didn’t strike him as the type of person who would care about the traditions or about Lio’s engagement. To Galo, those things that were so monumental to Lio would most likely seem trivial. Lio envied him for that. 

Just then, a spark shot out from Lio’s hand but was quickly extinguished once it hit the rocks on the ground. Instinctively, Lio buried his hand in his long sleeves. His powers had always been shaky, as he had never gotten any guidance for how to control them, only for how to suppress them. This affinity for fire was what had gotten him stuck in this huge mess in the first place, but he was forbidden to learn how to wield it for fear that he would use it to fight the demon.

Lio had to admit that they had a point: he would absolutely use it to fight if he knew how. What he’d managed to learn over the years was that it was often triggered by intense emotion, like the desire to leave that Lio had been feeling earlier. While he still couldn’t conjure it on command just yet, he had been secretly practicing at night when the rest of the shrine was asleep. Not that it was much to brag about, though. 

When he was positive that the flame would not come back, Lio unclenched his fists and turned on his heel, making his way towards the kitchen. He had delayed his chores for long enough. 

* * *

Lio waited behind the screen in his room. If he were true to his word, Galo would be here to take him outside of the shrine any minute now. Lio had been agonizing over the details of this arrangement for the entire day, and to be honest, his mind was exhausted. 

The most problematic detail was his appearance. Galo had never seen Lio before, and he still didn’t know that he was the special _miko_ that had a reason for staying within the shrine. Galo had talked about his experience seeing Lio at the festival with such passion and awe...what if learning his identity ruined Galo’s impression of him? Or worse, what if Galo changed his mind?

Truthfully, Lio didn’t want to keep his identity a secret from Galo; Galo had been so open with him, and Lio wished to be the same. Yet, he was still worried about the consequences. If the High Priestess found out that a man had seen him and taken him from a shrine, she would make them wish they had never been born. Lio didn’t know if he could put Galo into a position like that. But could he give up this one chance at learning about the outside world?

Just as Lio was about to give up and leave, he heard footsteps. Lio stilled his breath, not wanting to make any sounds in case it was someone other than Galo.

A few moments later, he heard his name being whispered, “Lio? Lio, you there?”

It _was_ Galo, he really did come! Lio couldn’t stop his heart from picking up in tempo as excitement raced through his body. “Yes,” he whispered back before he could stop himself.

“I’m ready to go if you are. Do you wanna come with me?”

The question Lio had been tortured with for the entire day. He just felt so tired, tired of trying to honor a lifestyle that he did not want for himself, tired of giving up his hopes for the sake of his destiny, tired of thinking about whether this was a good idea or not. For once, he would be spontaneous and let his heart decide. “Yes. Please, take me with you,” Lio said before he could change his mind.

Lio swore he could hear Galo’s smile in his voice, “Then let’s go then!”

Lio wiped his hands on his _hakama_ pants and swallowed. This was it. There was a chance he would regret this decision, but at the moment, the only thing he cared about was going with Galo.

Taking a deep breath for courage, Lio slowly slid the screen out of the way until he could see Galo.

Galo’s eyes widened, and for a moment, Lio feared that he’d made the wrong decision.

“You’re...you’re that _miko_ from the festival!” Galo exclaimed, as loud as could be.

Panicking, Lio swiftly stepped out into the open and covered Galo’s mouth with his hands. “You must be quiet!” he whispered fiercely. “We might get discovered.”

Galo nodded, and Lio removed his hands. “Sorry about that, Lio. It’s just...I’ve been wanting to meet you for so long and it turns out you’ve been here talking to me all the time,” he chuckled, “And I’ve even been talking about you right in front of you. God, talk about embarrassing.”

“...You are not disappointed?”

“What? No way!” Galo nearly shouted. Lio narrowed his eyes at him in a warning. “Sorry. You know what? Let’s get outta here. We can talk along the way. Although…” Galo paused to look Lio up and down. “Do you have anything else you can wear?”

Lio looked down at his outfit. He was wearing his normal _kosode_ and _hakama_ that he usually wore. “I do not. Will these clothes pose a problem?” A spark of worry cut into his chest--would he not be able to go because of his clothes?

“I mean, you’ll probably stand out with those on, but it’s okay. I’ve got some spare clothes in my car. You can just borrow those.”

Lio let out a breath that he didn’t realize he had been holding in, “I see. Thank you, Galo.”

“No prob. Follow me. I’ll show you where I parked.”

A little later, Galo was rummaging in the back of his truck for the spare clothes. “Found em!” he yelled from inside, and Lio couldn’t help but chuckle. It was clear that Galo didn’t know how to be covert, but Lio found that rather endearing. It was as if Galo’s passion was too large for his own body--it had to explode out of him.

Returning from the truck, Galo presented the clothes to Lio. “You can change in the car. These are probably too big for you so there’s a belt to help everything fit a little better. Leave the clothes you’re wearing now in the back and you can change back before we return. Sound good?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“You don’t have to keep thanking me you know. I’m having fun being with you too,” Galo admitted with a large grin.

Lio didn’t quite know how to respond to such an earnest declaration, so he chose to give Galo a short nod before shuffling into the truck. Galo had given him a black T-shirt with a cartoon dog on the front and a pair of cargo shorts. Both pieces of clothing were far too big for Lio’s small frame, but with the help of the belt, Lio could at least keep the pants from falling down. It took him a bit to figure out how to make the belt work, but luckily, Lio was the type that could adapt quickly. When he was changed, he hopped back out of the car to make sure he looked okay.

“Do I look acceptable?” He hoped he did. The last thing he wanted to do was to embarrass Galo after he’d been kind enough to do all of this for him.

Galo looked at him up and down before giving him a thumbs up, “We’ll have to get you some better clothes later, but it works for now. And you even got the belt to work! I’m impressed.”

“Thank you, I was worried I had done it incorrectly,” Lio confessed.

“Nope. Looks good! Shall we go now?” 

Lio nodded and returned to the car. This was it: he was finally leaving.

Galo showed Lio how to strap his seatbelt, and, when he was sure Lio was all set, he started up the car. It made an awful scraping noise before finally starting up. “Sorry, I need to get this thing fixed. But we’re all good for now. Here we go!” 

The second the car was in motion, Lio’s stomach started cramping up. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Galo, he was just feeling overwhelmed by how out of place he felt. He was excited to leave the town for the first time in his life, but at the same time he had such an anxiety about what he would find once he was out there in the world.

He’d been trained on housekeeping, cooking, cleaning, and even the...more intimate duties that a wife must fulfill, but his social skills were severely undernourished. How would he talk to people? What if they could tell that he was different and started staring? And the scariest thought: what if Galo realized how dull Lio truly was and decided to leave? His heart twinged painfully within his chest. 

Without Lio ever realizing it, Galo had become a precious presence in his life. Galo was the only one who treated Lio like a person, who wanted to hear about his dreams, who wanted to make those dreams come true. The thought of losing Galo was unthinkable.

“Hey, you okay?” Galo asked, breaking the silence and pulling Lio away from his spiraling thoughts.

“Pardon?” 

“Nah, it’s just that you sometimes get really quiet and it makes me think that you’re thinking about something serious,” Galo stoke a glance at Lio before returning his eyes to the road, “Sorry If I’m wrong. But if I’m not, I’ll try to help you out if I can.”

“It...it is not much. I simply wonder where it is that we are traveling to.”

“Oh yeah! I haven’t told you yet, have I? It would be more fun to leave it as a surprise, but I’m no good at keeping secrets,” Galo let out a bellowing laugh that filled the inside of the car and pressed against the sides, aching to get out, “We’re gonna get food so amazing that you face is gonna melt off!”

Lio’s eyes widened, “Truly? I do not know if that is a place that I am fit to go, Galo. I did not know that one’s face could be melted, let alone how to fix a condition like that!”

Galo laughed again, a tear coming to his eyes. He wiped it away as he spoke, “No no no, my bad. That was kinda like a figure of speech. It’s just really delicious food that I hope you’ll enjoy. In fact, we’re almost there!”

A few minutes later, Galo pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant called Scorched. “This is it. Let’s go get you some pizza.”

* * *

Truly, Lio had never been in a place like this before. There were two areas to the restaurant: a dining area with tables and booths, and an open kitchen with a large oven. Because of the setup, Lio could see into the kitchen and watched the cooks with fascination as they worked. He wondered how long it took for them to work as smoothly as they did. It had taken him years to get folded into the shrine’s routines and customs, afterall. Lio’s stomach growled loudly as an absolutely divine aroma flowed from the kitchen. Galo laughed, “We’ll fix that in a sec. It looks like our food is on its way.”

The waitress came back to the table with a large dish. On top of it was one of the most delicious things that Lio had ever smelled in his life. He had no idea what it was, but he knew he needed to try it **now.**

“It’s pizza. The best thing you’ll ever eat!” Galo said with a bright grin.

Lio let out a breathy chuckle, “That is quite the promise, Galo.” Yet he could not bring himself to tear his eyes from the gold-colored food.

“Just try it! The taste will speak for itself.”

It did not take much more prodding to get Lio to cave, “Well, if you insist,”

“That’s the spirit!” Galo handed Lio a plate with a slice of pizza on it. Lio studied it carefully. It seemed to be a disc of some kind of bread with melted cheese on top. The dish glistened with oil, tempting Lio even further. What would it taste like, he wondered. 

Picking up his own piece, Galo demonstrated how to eat it, “You just pick it up and shove it in your mouth. Like this!” Galo proceeded to cram the whole piece in his mouth, his cheeks puffing out like a squirrel.

Lio muffled the laugh that was forming in his throat. Galo never failed to surprise him with new levels of goofiness. He picked up the pizza and studied it for a moment before opening his mouth. Lio took a small bite of the pizza and pulled, a muffled sound of surprise squeaking out as a bridge of stretchy cheese formed between his lips and the pizza. 

Galo laughed as Lio sent him a look of confusion. “Just keep pulling. It’s half the fun!”

With determination on his face, Lio did just that. He pulled and pulled and pulled, his eyes going wide with surprise and just how stretchy the cheese was. Finally, it snapped and Lio began to awkwardly try to shove the remnants of the cheese bridge into his mouth as gracefully as possible. He glanced at Galo who had his signature goofy grin on, “How did I do?”

“You did great! I think you’re a natural, Lio!” Galo grabbed another slice of pizza, as his first slice had already been devoured. Lio did his best to finish his slice without making a huge mess. These clothes were Galo’s afterall, and it would be terribly rude to return them with cheese and tomato stains.

Lio felt like his face was absolutely melting. Every cell in his body hummed with pleasant happiness, the kind, as Galo put it, that only “kick-ass pizza” could provide. He took another bite from his slice of cheese pizza and pulled it away from his face, just as Galo had taught him only minutes before. Lio enjoyed watching the cheese pull and stretch as far as it could before snapping. Before he knew it, the slice was gone, and Galo was giving him a new one.

“So, what do you think of pizza?” Galo asked.

“It is very messy,” Lio started thoughtfully, “But I believe it is the best thing I have ever had the pleasure to eat.”

Lio didn’t realize he had been smiling until Galo said something about it, “You must’ve really enjoyed it! That’s the first time I’ve seen you smile. I’m glad I could make you happy.”

Taken aback, Lio couldn’t help the light blush that tinged his cheeks. “I...yes, yes, I am quite happy. Thank you for taking me here.”

“No problem, dude! And we’re not done. I’ll keep taking you out like this if you want. It’s fun teaching you about stuff that I love.”

Lio smiled softly again, “Yes, I would like that very much.”

“Then it’s settled. Buckle up, Lio. Because there’s so much other cool stuff that I’m gonna show you!”

There were very few moments in Lio’s life where he could say that he felt genuine hope. The High Priestess did everything in her power to make Lio remember that his life was not his own, and that his destiny was inescapable. Yet, despite that, Lio couldn’t help but look forward to his future now that Galo was here. His destiny didn’t seem as terrifying as usual because he had an entire world to experience. And someone kind to experience it with.

As Lio and Galo began their journey back to the shrine, Lio wished that the night would never end. He couldn’t wait to see what Galo would show him next time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End of Chapter 2! Will Lio be able to go back having gotten his first taste of freedom? Find out in the next chapter!
> 
> This project was completed together with @HeavyyMetalChick, who made some wonderful art for the story. Be sure to give her some love!
> 
> This fic also has a playlist that I listened to while I was writing this! You can find it [here on Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1UmtRX8Duk0gOu1ALyOhkr?si=ujJ-oP1TRe28bNh_tqivKQ)


	4. Desires

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You're only everything I ever dreamed  
> Ever dreamed of, ever dreamed of  
> You must be kidding me, did you really think  
> I could say no?"  
> -Don't Think Twice, Hikaru Utada

A month later, Galo realized that the next trip he should take Lio on was to get him some street clothes. Obviously, Lio didn’t need much as he was only spending a few hours at a time with Galo, but Galo felt bad for making him wear oversized clothes all the time. Galo wanted Lio to have clothes of his own that suited him.

Unfortunately, because of the fact that they had to wait until night before they could sneak out, the selection of clothing stores was small. Galo had apologized to Lio because of this, but he hadn’t seemed to mind, in fact, he expressed his heartfelt gratitude for being able to leave the shrine and see something new. Still, Galo wished he could do better for him.

When they got to the store, Galo let Lio go in whatever direction he wanted. Galo was not the type to describe himself as fashionable, but he tried to help guide Lio through the store in the best way he could. Lio looked around the store in a way that reminded Galo of a little kid: semi-lost, but incredibly excited. After some time, Lio came out of the changing room in an outfit that made him positively beam.

The first thing that Galo noticed were the skin-tight black jeans Lio had on and _holy crap,_ he wore those like they were made for him. It was hard to notice how slender Lio’s legs were when he was wearing his _hakama_ , but now...now they looked amazing. Galo had to force his eyes up to keep him from staring. Lio had found a white T-shirt with black triangles scattered across the front to go with his jeans, as well as a black baseball cap. Now that Galo had gotten over the initial shock of those jeans, he noticed that Lio was also wearing a pair of black boots with more buckles than were necessary. He would fit in just fine with this outfit, but Galo had to admit that he was surprised by the choices. Considering how soft-spoken Lio usually was, this almost all-black outfit was a big contrast. But Galo couldn’t complain, especially when he realized that the huge smile on Lio’s face was because of the clothes he was wearing.

“What do you think?” Lio asked, his voice undeniably happy.

“You look incredible,” Galo breathed, though he was focusing more on Lio’s face than his clothes at this point.

“That is the correct answer,” Lio agreed, “Must I take these off to pay for them?”

“No!” Galo said too quickly before composing himself again. He wanted to keep that smile on Lio’s face for as long as possible, “No, we can ask them to scan what you’re wearing at the register.”

Lio hit Galo with another smile and he felt like he would melt into the floor. How could one person be so cute so effortlessly? Galo led the way to the register with Lio close behind, but he was not expecting what happened next. Lio slid his hand in Galo’s and held it there. Galo swallowed as he felt the heat between their hands mingle and grow, and soon enough he felt a similar heat on his cheeks. 

“Thank you, Galo. You have made me feel so special lately. I wish I could repay you,” Lio admitted wistfully.

Meanwhile, Galo’s thoughts were scrambled. His feelings for Lio had been growing over the past month, and the close proximity was doing things to his brain. Miraculously, he was still capable of forming intelligent sentences, “Spending time with you is the best repayment I could ask for, Lio. I’m glad that I could make you so happy.”

The two paid for the clothes and quickly made their way out of the store. 

To finish up their trip, Galo took Lio to an ice cream parlour nearby. Galo got the best flavor--chocolate ice cream with peanut butter cups--while Lio got vanilla with pieces of strawberries. Galo noticed that Lio was more quiet than normal while they were eating. Normally, he would be making a face at how delicious the treat was and would talk about how much he liked it, but today, he made no such face and no such comment. 

This was so different from his attitude in the clothes store that Galo asked Lio about it. “Hey, is everything okay? You seem a bit down. Do you not like the ice cream?”

Lio looked up at Galo and shook his head, “No, it is not that. The ice cream is truly delicious,”

“Then what’s up? You can tell me if you want. If it’s something I can help with, I’ll gladly help.” Galo flexed one of his arms for emphasis. He wanted to be someone that Lio could rely on.

Lio offered him a small smile, “I thank you for that, Galo. But…” he paused and stared into his ice cream, as if he were looking for something. Finally, he sighed and continued, “I am sorry, Galo. I have not been truthful with you. There is something that I have been keeping from you, and I do not wish to lie to you any longer. Will you hear me out?” he asked, still not looking at Galo.

Galo swallowed. He had a bad feeling about this, but he needed to know. Anything that was troubling Lio was a problem for him. “I’m listening.”

“There is a reason why I have never been allowed to leave the shrine. Why I am forbidden from talking to people outside of the shrine. I am involved in a prophecy, Galo. There is a powerful demon who resides at the top of the mountain by the shrine. I…” his breath hitched, “I am to be wed to that demon when he comes down from the mountain for me. He will take me back up to the top of the mountain with him and I will never come back down. I shall die up there,” Lio let out a short sob, tears beginning to form in his eyes.

Galo’s eyes were wide with shock, and for once, he had no words to reply. Demon? Prophecy? None of this was making any kind of sense to Galo, but he put his ice cream down and wrapped Lio up in his arms. Lio turned and buried his face in Galo’s chest, his sobs growing more powerful. Galo hated that this was all he could do for Lio.

After taking a few moments to catch his breath, Lio continued, still wrapped in Galo’s embrace, “He’s coming for me soon; I can feel it. I have these dreams where shadows come from the mountain and drag me away and...and I know that it’s him. I don’t have much time left here, Galo.”

“Isn’t there anything we can do to stop this? There has to be something, right?”

“There’s not. He’s too powerful. The shrine has a deal with him: every few centuries they will offer him a bride. In exchange, he will not attack the town.”

“But why? I don’t understand.”

Lio sighed and left Galo’s embrace. Standing to his feet, he took a few steps back. “Since I am coming clean, I should tell you about this as well.”

Closing his eyes, Lio clasped his hands together and pressed. A few moments later, when he opened his hands again, there was a small ball of fire hovering above his palms.

Galo jumped up from his seat, “Wha?! H-how are you doing that?”

“ _This_ is why the demon wants me. He desires humans who have special powers, and I can control fire. Hence…”

Galo could figure out the rest. 

When Lio closed his fist, the fire extinguished, “You must think that I am a monster. I am sorry that I lied to you for such a long time.”

Galo quickly brought himself in front of Lio, “That’s not true! I was just surprised cuz I’ve never seen something like that before. Wow. Okay. Yeah,” he had no idea what he was saying at this point, “Not bad, just different. Yeah.”

Lio brought himself closer to Galo until their chests were almost touching. Due to their height difference, he had to look up to make eye contact with Galo. “You are not afraid of me? Truly?” said Lio

Galo gave him a reassuring smile, “Why would I be scared? It’s not like this changes who you are,”

Lio let out an enormous breath, one that he must’ve been holding on to for a long time. “I am so relieved! I was convinced that you would flee after seeing it. I am so glad that you did not.”

“C’mon, it’s getting late. We should go back to the car so we can get you back,” Galo said, about to turn to leave.

“Galo! Wait a moment, please.” Lio said.

Galo turned, and was suddenly pulled down to Lio’s level. In a moment, Lio got up on his toes and placed his lips on Galo’s, sealing them in a kiss.

Galo wasn’t sure how many more surprises he could handle this night. His heart sped up and he began to comprehend the situation he was in. Lio, the most beautiful person he had ever had the honor of meeting, was kissing him. Holy shit.

Coming back to his senses, Galo wrapped his arms around Lio’s waist and returned the kiss softly. After a few beats, the two parted, both of them gazing fondly into each other’s eyes.

“I’ve been wanting to kiss you for weeks and you beat me to it!” Galo said with a laugh.

Lio grinned back at him, a deep blush on his cheeks, “I was simply tired of waiting for you, so I did it myself,”

God. Galo wanted to spend the rest of the night kissing Lio, but he had to get him back to the shrine. Instead, he settled for holding Lio’s hand as he guided them in the direction of the car.

“Thank you for opening up to me, Lio,” Galo said after a few moments. “I admit, I wasn’t expecting all of this, but I’m not going to let you slip away so easily. Not while I’m around.”

Lio squeezed his hand, not saying anything.

They stayed like that for a while, just Galo and Lio existing together. Connected. But after a few minutes of silence, Lio said something more, “Can I be entirely truthful with you for a moment?”

Galo smiled, “You don’t have to ask, Lio. You can always tell me what’s on your mind.” 

Lio took a breath, “The truth is...I hate them all,” he said. “Truly, I hold this rage within me that I wish I could turn loose on every single person in that town. They live their days out in careless freedom without paying any mind to the sacrifice that I will have to make for their sakes. But I was never asked to do this, Galo! I just—I can’t even begin to count the nights that I’ve spent awake worrying about what will happen when that monster comes down from the mountain for me. I can only come up with horrible scenarios, and each one makes me want to run away more”.

Galo’s heart twinged in pain. Lio had been suffering all by himself for so long, yet nobody had ever tried to help him. Galo asked Lio the one question that had been repeating in his mind since Lio had told him about the prophecy, “Well...what do you want to do?”

“What do you mean?” Lio looked at him strangely.

Galo shrugged, “Just what I said. You have a life of your own, Lio. You can make choices for yourself about how you want to live. Prophecy or not. I know you said it’s never been done before, but that’s not good enough for me. We’ll find a way out of this, and then you can live your life the way you want.”

“I...I have never allowed myself to think about what I want. I did not wish to get my hopes crushed.” Lio confessed.

By this point, they had made it back to the car. Galo stopped and turned to face Lio, “I will not let that thing have you. Not now, and not ever. So start thinking about what you want from your life, and I’ll do whatever I can to make your wishes come true.”

Lio stood with his mouth open, but no sound came out. He looked stunned.

Galo smiled, “Think about it. C’mon, we gotta get you back before that scary priestess catches us.”

* * *

Lio took in a sip of tea slowly. Afternoon tea time was the only time in the day when Lio would get to see more than two people, and he intended to savor every minute of it. The head priestess took the “purity” concept to an entirely outrageous level: not only could Lio not touch another human, but he also couldn’t be around or even see another human save for the bare minimum required to care for him.

It was a lonely life, but he wouldn’t allow himself to complain. Instead, he tried to find the few blessings in his day to keep his chin up. He swirled his tea on his tongue, tasting every note of flavor. His etiquette coach would surely scold him if she were here, but Lio didn’t care. In fact, he was beginning to not care about many things lately. The words Galo had left him with weeks ago kept sticking to his mind like honey, sweet yet stubborn. “ _What do you want?”_

Lio wished he knew. His whole life had been filled with preparation for his duty, but it never had much to do with him. Not really. Anyone could fill his role as long as they were gifted with miraculous power. It just so happened that he had been born at the right time. Lio let his mind wander, his thoughts landing on the stranger once again. He began to wonder what the stranger looked like. Surely he had to have some kind of muscle if he was on the roof all day making repairs. He was as loud as could be and always seemed to be laughing; Lio imagined a big smile, bright and wide. His eyes, too, must be bright and clear. Lio had never talked with such an openly honest person, and honest people had clear eyes. At least, that was what the High Priestess had told him. Still, despite all of his thinking he couldn’t quite get a good picture of what this man looked like.

Lio sighed softly into his tea cup. It wasn’t like he would ever get to meet him face-to-face anyway. But it was nice to dream. To think about the kind of life the stranger had led outside the walls of the shrine. To think of the time spent traveling, of the different types of people he had met, of the food! Gods, Lio wished he could have just a taste of the life that man had experienced. But instead he was stuck in the shrine, and he would remain stuck until Kray decided to wake up and take him back up the mountain. 

Lio felt his heart sink in a way it hadn’t sunk in a long time. Rarely did Lio allow himself to dream about the life he could have led had he not been chosen as a bride. He absolutely couldn’t, for every time he did, he found himself sorely disappointed. It simply wasn’t worth that sadness.

He took another sip of his tea and willed it to calm his emotions. Before he’d realized it, Galo had walked into his life and messed with his head. Before meeting Galo, Lio had resigned himself to the fact that his life would be short and miserable. He’d even started to trick himself into believing that being labelled a hero would be worth all of that suffering. But now, that fact was becoming less and less absolute. Deep down, he’d always prayed for something to happen to change his fate, to allow him to have a better life. When he was little, he used to send prayers to the gods, pleading them to give him the chance to live normally. When had he stopped hoping?

Lio knew that these thoughts were incredibly dangerous, yet he didn’t want to stop them. Galo had asked him what he wanted from his life, and while he was still too afraid to speak his wish aloud, it filled him with an intense longing. He felt as if his body was being pulled by a magnet, out of his room, across the courtyard, through the gate, and straight into the greater world. Free from everything that was holding him down.

As he lowered his cup to the table, so did his imagination bring him back down to reality. As much as he wished for it, he knew that escaping his fate was next to impossible. There was no way a demon that was capable of defeating The Four Maidens would allow him to slip away so easily. And, as he had been so often reminded, there were people’s lives at stake. He could not simply run away from that.

Having finished his tea, Lio stood and began to clear away the tea set. He hoped that he would get to see Galo soon, for even though he had resigned himself to his fate once again, he felt an intense desire to see his friend as much as possible. Before he would be unable to see him ever again. 

“HEY!” yelled a voice suddenly.

Lio whipped his head to the side, surprise evident on his face, “Huh? Aina?”

The pink-haired _miko_ puffed her cheeks out in irritation, “Yes, it’s me. I’ve been calling your name over and over and you’ve been ignoring me!”

Lio bowed his head, “My apologies-”

“Don’t start with that ‘my apologies’ crap, Lio. You know how much I hate it when you talk all formal like that.”

“And _you_ know that I do not have any other choice,” Lio retorted with a sad smile.

“Yeah, whatever. You could still use some of the words I taught you, though.”

Aina had spent entire nights trying to teach Lio to speak like the townspeople, but Lio rarely used the skill. Brides were meant to be polite and formal, afterall. Still, there were times when the more...colorful vocabulary he had learned were tempting. “I only wish to use those words when I am truly in need of them,” he told her simply.

“You’re no fun,” Aina said with a pout, “That’s why I have to bring you fun stuff.”

“Let us move to my room,” Lio said, picking up his tea things.

Aina had been bringing things she deemed interesting from the town for Lio to try. However, that was a clear violation of the rules, so they had to do it in secret. Once they had relocated to Lio’s room, Aina produced a handful of hard candy from her long sleeves. Lio used to tell her that her sleeves were not meant to be used as pockets, but he had given up after realizing that his words were falling on deaf ears.

Aina was different from the other people in the shrine. One would think that being the sister of the Head Priestess would make her a strict enforcer of the rules, but she was the complete opposite. She was one of the only people who treated Lio like he was more than an object. Lio could tell that she felt sorry for him, and while both knew that she could not change his situation, she did her best to improve it by bringing him things from outside of the shrine.

Lio felt so tempted to tell Aina about the time he had been spending with Galo. Of anyone in the shrine, Aina was the most likely to understand their situation. Yet, Lio remained silent. Galo had become a precious presence in his life, he had become someone that Lio would hope to see every day; Lio couldn’t simply jeopardize that hope. So he kept quiet and enjoyed the treats that Aina had brought. Maybe someday he would find the courage to tell her, but for now, it would stay his secret.

* * *

It was terribly hot on the day Galo climbed the stairs that led to the shrine. This trek was becoming even easier with each passing day. Unlike most days, however, Galo was without his trusty tool kit. His employer, the Head Priestess, had asked him to come in this morning to talk. Galo didn’t know what the conversation would be about, but he assumed it had something to do with his completion of the roof. But he had come prepared today! He’d stayed up the night before brainstorming projects that he could undertake to improve the shrine, projects that would keep him around Lio for even a few days longer.

He was met by a lone miko at the top of the stairs. She bowed her head slightly before speaking, “Welcome, Galo-san, The Head Priestess is ready for you. Please follow me.”

Galo did as he was told and allowed himself to be led through the shrine. He wasn’t sure he would ever adjust to the formal way that the mikos had been trained to speak, and he suddenly began to worry that his lackadaisical speech habits could offend his employer. _Yikes._

Before long, the miko had stopped in front of a pair of sliding doors. “Galo-san is here to see you, Head Priestess,” she announced aloud.

“Come in,” replied a voice from within the room.

Galo took a deep breath before sliding the doors open and stepping into the room.

The room was extremely simple. Sliding doors covered each of the walls of the room. The tatami floor was bare save for a single tea table and a woman who seemed completely absorbed in one of the many scrolls that covered the small table. The woman looked up once Galo had slid the doors shut.

“Ah, there you are. Thank you very much for taking the time out of your weekend to come and speak with me. Please, take a seat,” she said calmly, motioning to the space across the table from her. Galo obliged, and sat with his legs crossed on the floor.

“I apologize for the light hospitality, but I assure you, you will not be here for very long.”

“Don’t worry about it! I’m all good,” Galo said with a wide grin.

“...I see. Now about what I called you here to speak to you about,” she began, pulling one of the scrolls on the table out from underneath a stack of papers, “I have always been a woman who respects rules. I believe that they are a necessary force to maintain balance and order. However, I also understand that rules without context or reason are difficult to obey. So I have a story that I would like you to listen to. I ask that you give me your full attention.”

“Yeah, sure.” Galo would be lying if he said that he was confused, but he was not about to go against the wishes of his employers. He would try to give his proposals after she was done.

“There is a legend that has been passed down through countless generations of priestesses,” began the Head Priestess, “It is the story of the beginning. There were once four priestesses that resided in this shrine. Each one was the consort of one of four powerful gods, those of earth, air, water, and fire. So pleased were the gods with their brides that they bestowed upon them powers of their own. Powers to protect the village.”

Pretty straight-forward so far, but Galo couldn’t figure out why she took the time to tell him all of this. Still, he listened as she continued. 

“When the demon first appeared in this village, he did everything in his power to destroy it. The four maidens tried to stop him, but sadly, all but one perished in the battle. He spared the priestess with the gift of fire, for her beauty had captured his heart. Knowing that she could not beat him, she offered herself up as a sacrifice. This began a tradition that we still follow today. This pleased the demon, and, as he had been greatly wounded in his battle with the other priestesses, he took the priestess of fire up to the mountain with him. It is said that she used the last of her life force to trap the demon on the mountain. The four gods were so angered by the sudden death of their brides that they scattered their blessings among the people. 

“Every once and awhile, children are born with the power to manipulate certain elements. Lio is one such child,” she paused to look Galo up and down. Though he tried to hide his surprise about the sudden news about Lio, he was positive that she had still picked up on it. He got the impression that the Head Priestess rarely missed anything. After finding what she had been looking for on Galo’s face, she began again, “Every few hundred years, the demon grows strong enough to break the seal and descend the mountain. When this happens, we offer a gifted child to the demon as a bride, for he will not attack us if we give him what he desires.

“I am aware that you and Lio have been speaking during your time here. Therefore, I am telling you this: you cannot be together. Your presence around him only taints his quality as a bride,” She looked up at Galo with hard, determined eyes. He could tell that she meant every word she said. “Stay away from Lio.”

Galo’s head was reeling. Never had he once imagined that this conversation would be about some crazy origin story that Lio was somehow wrapped up in. He hadn’t understood everything that Heris had said, but he had gotten the gist of it. And he was growing increasingly annoyed with each passing second.

Yes, this woman meant everything she had said, but that didn’t mean that she was right. “That’s absolute bullshit!” Galo yelled in her face, his emotions quickly gaining control over his actions, “None of that has to do with Lio at all! You all are just using him so that things don’t get complicated for yourselves. You’re not thinking of him at all!”

The Head Priestess replied without missing a beat “There are times when one must sacrifice the few to save the many. We are fortunate. We only need to sacrifice one person to save the entire village for the next thousand years”.

“You’re wrong. You’re all wrong. I’ll prove it to you.”

“His destiny was decided from the moment he was born. No one can change that. Now I suggest you get back in your vehicle and drive back to wherever you came from. This is most unfortunate, but I am afraid your services are no longer needed here if you refuse to follow our rules. Consider yourself dismissed. Good day.”

Galo stood up, having been dismissed. He could no longer stand to be in the same room as this woman. Not after learning that she was so easily willing to sacrifice Lio. Everything she had said was so incredibly wrong that it made Galo’s stomach turn. He would be damned if he let that woman have her way. He just needed to figure out how to stop her.

  
  


* * *

Lio was about to make a life-changing decision. He was out with Galo once again; this time they went to a lake that was well-known for attracting fireflies. Galo had set up the tent he usually lived out of whenever he was on the road between jobs, because, as Galo said, he wanted Lio to be as comfortable as possible. They had spent who knew how long snuggling under the many blankets that Galo had brought with him, and it was here that Lio decided that he wanted Galo to be as close as possible.

Feeling bold and empowered, Lio spoke his mind. “Galo?”

“Mm? What’s up? You cold?”

Lio up into loving eyes, eyes that were so full of warmth and compassion. “I want you to make love to me,” he whispered.

Galo must’ve heard him because he was instantly reduced to a blushing and blubbering mess. He sat up to get a good look at Lio, “I- uh- you...guh- m-me? A-and you? You want- really? Me?”

Lio chuckled, “Yes, you.”

“B-b-b-but shouldn’t you think about something like that more? I mean, it’s _that_ , you know?”

Lio looked down at his hands, “I assure you that I have spent ample time thinking about this, and I wish to go through with it. With you. Galo, my future is so uncertain. I do not know what will happen once that demon comes down the mountain for me, but I have been training to fulfill every duty that a bride must perform. Even coitus.”

Seeing the confused look Galo was giving him, Lio clarified, “ _Sex_. We might not find a way out of the prophecy, and so before that happens, I want to take control of this part of my life. I want you to be the one to make love to me for the first time. I want it to be a pleasant memory.”

“Are you sure?” Galo asked seriously, “Yes, I want to have sex with you too, but it doesn’t have to be now. I mean, we’re in a tent right now, for crying out loud. I can prepare and we can do it later? You might even change your mind.”

Lio’s chest warmed pleasantly. This was the type of person Lio had fallen in love with. The type who lost his cool at the first mention of sex, the type who wanted Lio to be comfortable and happy, the one who would ask him ‘are you sure?’ and ‘are you okay?’ “I told you that I am certain,” Lio assured Galo, “And to me, I do not care so much about the place as I do about the person. I love you, Galo. Please, please make love to me.”

“I love you too,” Galo replied as he laid Lio down on top of the pile of pillows. “You’re lucky I make a point of keeping a condom and lube with my camping stuff just in case.” He pulled the items from their place and began to work on undressing Lio, “If it hurts or if you want me to stop, just tell me, okay?”

“Okay,” Lio agreed. His heart pounded away in his chest and he removed his shoes, then shirt, then pants. Galo did the same. 

And then, the two were crashing into each other, both of them intense forces of passion and desire. Everything that gave, Lio accepted, and everything that Lio wanted, Galo gave. The heat between them washed over their bodies, causing their skin to become soft with sweat. Lio had never felt this full in his life, and he cherished the feeling of being so close to, so connected with Galo. He hoped that Galo felt the same.

All too soon, the knot of tension within Lio snapped and he was exploding with the pleasure that Galo had given him. He moaned Galo’s name into the night, not caring for a single moment about how loud he was being. His words became a string of semi-intelligible ‘I love you’s’. Soon enough, Galo joined him, raining kissing up and down his face as he moaned in his ear.

“That was…” Galo said, his voice breathy and soft.

“Yes, it was,” Lio agreed.

Galo rolled over so that the two of them could look at each other again. “You okay?”

“Mhm,” He curled up to Galo and nuzzled into the crook of his neck, “Really good,” he mumbled into Galo’s skin.

They both understood that they needed to leave soon, but neither one moved. For this short moment, they were together. And that was all that mattered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End of Chapter 3! Things got a little spicy this time (●///▽///●) I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
> 
> This project was completed together with @HeavyyMetalChick, who made some wonderful art for the story. Be sure to give her some love!
> 
> This fic also has a playlist that I listened to while I was writing this! You can find it [here on Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1UmtRX8Duk0gOu1ALyOhkr?si=ujJ-oP1TRe28bNh_tqivKQ)


	5. I Screwed Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I sense there's trouble ahead  
> It's clear by the signs and warnings  
> That should tell where all blame it due  
> So why are they pointing at my head?"  
> -Liar, The Arcadian Wild

Lio’s world stopped while they were packing the car up from their “camping trip”. A voice cut through the night, as sharp as a blade, “LIO!”

The boy’s heart stalled along with his lungs. He knew that voice very well, and in that moment, it was the last voice he wished to hear. Knowing that he could not avoid the confrontation that was about to happen, Lio turned around slowly to face Heris.

Furious was somehow not a powerful enough word to describe his caretaker. Her posture was straight and stiff, as if her back was up against an invisible wall. A deep frown dug creases into her normally composed face, making her look much older than she actually was. But the scariest part of her was not her crossed arms, and not even her intense voice, but her eyes. They bore directly into Lio, causing him to feel as though he was paralyzed. Disappointment and anger swirled within her irises, each emotion becoming stronger as she shifted her gaze to the clothes that Lio was wearing and to Lio’s hand in Galo’s.

“Heris…” Lio mumbled.

Spurred by her anger, Heris snatched Lio’s hand from Galo and began dragging him away with her. Back to the shrine. “I do not want to hear your voice until we are back home. Is that clear?” Her voice seethed. Lio felt a cold chill run down his skin as he began to nimbly move in the direction Heris was pulling him.

_ I screwed up I screwed up I screwed up I- _

“Wha- hey!” yelled Galo, snapping out of his initial confusion and following after the two. “What the hell do you think you’re doing, lady?”

Lio swore he could almost hear the last bit of patience snapping from within the High Priestess and she stopped in her place and spun around to glare at Galo, “ _ You _ .” If words could kill then that word alone surely would have done the trick, “I have had enough of  _ you.”  _ She pointed at Galo with the hand that was not locking Lio into an intense grip, “You enter this town from gods know where, you start poking your nose around where it does not belong, and now  _ this,”  _ she lifted her Lio’s arm up for emphasis, “I told you to stay away from Lio! You have no idea the kind of damage you may have caused just by being within a few meters of this boy, let along sneaking him out of the shrine in the middle of the night to do whatever terrible thing you have been doing”.

Galo met Heris with a firm stare, his frown matching her scowl, “Damage? Damage?! I let him out of that prison cell  _ you _ call a shrine! And now you’re going to try to tell me that that was harmful? You must have a few screws loose up in that joke of a brain if you think that allowing him to have a life is a bad thing.” Galo towered over Heris, his eyes never leaving hers.

Heris either did not notice their difference in height or did not care because she narrowed her eyes into a glare that Lio had never seen before, “This ends now. You are hereby forbidden from being within fifty meters of Lio, and I do not want you stepping even a single foot into the shrine. You are an enemy. And if you ever try to involve yourself in our affairs again, we will retaliate. Remember that”. Once again, she tugged Lio’s arm in the direction of the car that Heris had taken to find them. “Come. I will deal with you once we are back in an untainted place.”

Galo’s anger rose as he watched Heris begin to yank Lio along with her once again. He took a step forward, “Like hell I’m gonna let you do that you psycho!” he yelled.

“Galo!” Lio shouted, whipping his head back so that their eyes could meet. “Forget about me, please! I...I have to-” Heris shoved Lio into the car and slammed the door before Galo heard the end of what Lio had said.

“Lio!” Panicked, Galo sprinted back towards his truck. He shoved his hands into his pockets, desperately searching for the keys, but in his haste he dropped them as soon as they were out of his pockets, “Fuck!” Galo screamed as he snatched them from the ground. He shoved them into the door lock and yanked the door open with more force than was necessary. 

“Fuck fuck fuck fuck,” a continuous string of curses was flowing from Galo’s mouth as he turned the keys in the ignition. The car whirred unnaturally--he’d used too much force. “C’mon, c’mon,  _ c’mon!  _ Please!” He tried again and was met with the same sound of metal scraping against metal. Galo pushed the door open and practically fell out of the driver’s seat. Moving to the front of the car, he threw the hood up and was met with a face full of white smoke. 

“FUCK!” Galo screamed into the night, “Fuck! Lio!!” He slammed his hand onto the car and sank down to the ground. Angry tears began to flow freely from his eyes as he curled in on himself. He punched the ground once, then once again, as an overwhelming feeling of dread and loss invaded his being. “Stupid fucking car. Stupid shrine. Stupid demon. Stupid, stupid.” He slumped in on himself as helplessness set in. He had been absolutely useless, and now Lio was gone. What the hell was he gonna do?

Galo wasn’t sure how long he stayed like that, and it wasn’t until he began to taste blood that he realized he’d been biting the inside of his cheek. The pain was enough to bring him back to his senses, and he slowly picked himself up from the ground. Galo looked back in the direction that Heris’ car had left in. 

It wasn’t over yet. He could still grab Lio and escape, just like they’d planned. It would just be harder than they’d originally planned for. Galo would sooner see hell freeze over before he allowed Lio to be taken by some demon. They hadn’t lost yet.

Galo swiped at his face until the tears were gone and fished his phone from the car seat. He couldn’t start his rescue plan until he got back to town after all. Galo let out a sigh of relief when the person on the other end of the line picked up. “Hello? This is Ignis.”

“Ignis, it’s Galo,” he winced at the desperate voice he was letting out, but pressed on, “I need your help.”

* * *

Ignis grunted as he dug around the many bins that were scattered around his attic. After Galo had explained the situation to Ignis, he’d brought them back to his house and into the attic. Galo had no idea what he was looking for, and truthfully, he didn’t care. All he wanted to do was run straight into the shrine and raise hell until they released Lio. But that was his stupid side talking. His smarter side reminded him that he needed help. 

“Most of the folks around here know the story,” Ignis said, his words punctuated by huffs and the sound of shifting belongings, “It’s a pretty popular way for parents to get their children to behave. But no one actually believes that the story is true.”

Galo cocked his head to the side, “But you do?”

“Yes, yes, I know it’s 100% true. I’ve never seen that bastard demon myself, though.”

Galo was confused, and more than a little skeptical, but he wanted to know more. “Then how can you be so sure if you haven’t seen it?” he asked, following Ignis as he worked his way through the attic.

“Ah, that’s because of my family,” Ignis was pulling books from boxes and placing them into a pile beside his feet, “We write everything important down so that the knowledge that we gain in the past is not lost in the future. One of my ancestors saw the demon herself and made a point of documenting it in my family’s records. Damn, I was sure it would be in this box.”

That was not what Galo had been expecting to hear. “Then it's all true? The demon? The curse? Everything?”

Ignis sighed, “I’m afraid so. And if the records are correct, that demon should be coming down the mountain soon.”

If Galo hadn’t been paying attention before, he definitely was now. “Then what do we do?” He was prepared to do anything if it meant helping Lio.

Ignis stood back up and shrugged, “What we always do. We uphold our end of the bargain.”

Galo frowned and shook his head, “No. No way! I’m not letting him get sacrificed to a demon!”

“There isn’t any other way.”

“I don’t care! I. Don’t. Care. He hasn’t done anything wrong to deserve this. And he hasn’t even gotten to live a life yet! Please, please we have to save him. There has to be a way. Surely one of these books has to have something that can help!”

“Ah! There it is!” Ignis exclaimed from the other side of the room. He held a thick book in his hands, a small smile on his face.

Just then, the doorbell rang below them. Someone was at the door. Galo looked incredulously at Ignis, who was now moving towards the ladder they had taken to get up into the attic.

“Ignis! You can’t just leave like that! We have to think of something!”

“Just come downstairs.”

A knock at the door turned their collective attention towards the door. Ignis got up to answer. “Yes?” he said to whoever was outside.

“Um, hi,” it was the voice of a girl, but not one that Galo recognized.

“Can I help you?”

“Is Galo-san here?”

Galo got up and went to the door. He was rather surprised to see a miko in full robes at the door. As he suspected, he did not know this miko. “You need me?” he asked.

“Yes, I believe we both want the same thing. I’ve come to help save Lio. And just in time, too. Galo, I’m afraid the preparations for Lio’s wedding have begun. The demon will come to take him away very soon. We must act now if we are to save him. Luckily for you, I foud something that just might fix our problem.”

Aina placed a large book on the coffee table with a thick _thud._ She smoothed her hand over the cover, which had been worn and stained from time. Galo suspected the cover had once had a title, but it had been lost long ago. “This is a book of magical weapons that date back to before this town was even founded. I was flipping through it earlier and I found something promising,” Aina smiled, “A weapon. A matoi to be exact.”

“Matoi?” Galo repeated. He had never heard of such a thing.

“Yes, it kinda looks like a big mop with a lot of history behind it. That part isn’t important though. What  _ is  _ important is its origins,” she began flipping through the tome, “According to this book, three of the four original maidens combined their powers into a weapon to fight that demon before they died. They were all mortally wounded and decided to pool the remaining bits of their life force together to create this weapon. The matoi,” she pointed to an illustration of what Galo assumed as the matoi. 

Just as Aina said, it was a large spear-like weapon. To Galo, it looked super awesome, and he couldn’t help but stare at the ceremonial ribbons that had been attached to the weapon. 

Aina continued, “But the matoi was incomplete without the power from the last maiden. So they sealed it underground where it could absorb energy from the Earth and wait for the final blessing. According to the book, the fire maiden died before she could give her blessing, so the matoi was never completed. There are records of people trying to find the matoi but none of them have succeeded,” Aina closed the book and looked Galo in the eyes, “Look, I know that this is a longshot, but maybe if we find the matoi we can save Lio. I mean, it has the power of three of the most powerful maidens to ever live in this shrine. And they got their powers from gods! Actual gods! Wouldn’t that stand a chance against a demon?”

“I know about this matoi, and it’s not the miracle that you think it is, little lady.” Ignis cut in, “Yes, it was created by three maidens, but it is incomplete. They weren’t able to defeat the demon with the matoi in its incomplete state. Sending Galo in with a half-baked weapon like that would be a death sentence.”

“Are you sure about that? Because Lio has the power of the fourth maiden. If he combines his power with the matoi it would be complete. Then they would have a fighting chance!”

“That’s a lot of ifs. And we haven’t even talked about the demon’s role in all of this. If Galo picks a fight without thinking it through, he will die and that demon could decide to punish the village for insubordination. It’s my job to protect the people, and I cannot allow something dangerous like this to go on. I simply cannot.”

“Well what about Lio then?” Galo said with a glare, “He’s a member of this village too, but I don’t see you jumping to help him!”

Ignis frowned and went silent. “This is not as black and white as you are trying to make it, Galo.”

“I want to help him, Ignis. He deserves to be happy too. And he is about to have his life taken away from him if we don’t do something. Not only that, we are the only ones who know that this is something that is happening. Everyone else will go through their days without ever even thinking about him. Isn’t that sad? He hasn’t been able to live a normal life for the sake of people who barely even know he exists. I can’t let this place take more from him that it already has. Can’t you understand that?”

“...”

Galo sighed and shifted his focus back to Aina, “So what do I need to do?”

“Find the matoi, find Lio, and then deal with the demon,” she crossed her legs, and rested her arms on her knees, “Once you’ve merged Lio’s powers with the powers of the matoi, you should be able to fight on equal terms with him.”

“Great. Let’s go.”

“Wait wait wait! We don’t even know where it is yet!”

“I don’t have time to wait. Lio is in danger right now. Just point me in the direction you think it might be and I’ll take it from there.” Galo said, putting his shoes on as he spoke. He’s wasted enough time already. Now all he had to do was search and pray that Lio was okay.

* * *

Lio knew when his time had run out before the door to his room slid open. For as long as Lio could remember, he had felt a heavy sense of dread that weighed his heart down, and each day that dread grew heavier and heavier as he got closer to the day of his wedding. Now, his chest felt so burdensome that he struggled to breathe steadily. The Head Priestess stepped in and shut the door behind her. “It is time,” she said in a way that caused his heartbeat to speed up.

He swallowed back a whimper as Heris stepped closer. He refused to let her comprehend just how terrified he truly was. From behind her she brandished a set of clothes, “It is time. We must have you looking your best for him.” She wordlessly motioned for him to turn around, and, to his disdain, he obeyed. She efficiently began undoing his clothes, letting them fall to the ground without another thought. Soon enough, he was tugging on the new clothes. Lio had been told that these were the finest clothes a bride could ask for, yet to him, they were merely pieces of extravagant funeral attire. His life would end the moment he stepped foot onto the mountain and he knew it. They all did.

“There,” she said with a satisfied huff. “You are all done. You may look now.”

Not that he had much of a choice considering Heris was forcing him to turn around with her iron-like grip on his shoulder. A full-length mirror must have been brought in while he was getting changed, because it had not been there before. Lio was rarely afforded the luxury of seeing his own face, let alone body, out of fear that he may develop a nasty bout of hubris. Now that he was fastly approaching his wedding, however, rules like that no longer mattered. 

The first thing he noticed was just how white everything was. Both his  _ kimono _ and his headpiece were stark white. Those, combined with his pale complexion and light hair, made him positively radiant in the sun. His body was tucked neatly away under the many layers of his kimono. The sleeves were much longer than he was used to compared to his every-day miko attire--he would need to be wary of stepping on them so as to not send himself flying to the ground face-first. Heris had wrapped and tied the pieces of the outfit so tight around his body that it hurt, but he did not complain. He felt as if his lungs were being slowly crushed from the outside, but then again, he doubted he would be able to breathe normally without the consistent pressure from the obi. 

The kimono was pure white, with no decorations on the fabric. If Lio were to guess, it would be to symbolize just how pure Lio was for his groom. Lio couldn’t help but smile at the irony, his one and only method of rebellion against his fate. 

His hair had not been long enough to tie up into a topknot, so Heris had opted for a short ponytail that had been tucked under his  _ tsunokakushi.  _ A headdress that was of the same white color as his  _ kimono _ , this piece was meant to symbolize a desire to become an obedient wife. The absolute ideal for the grotesque monster that was waiting for him atop the mountain. Lio’s stomach twisted violently at the thought, and he had to refocus himself on his breathing to fend off the encroaching nausea. 

“There,” said Heris as she tugged once more on the  _ obi.  _ “You are ready.”

“Is it time yet?” Lio asked, dreading the answer, but hating the idea of not knowing even more.

“Not yet. Please follow me.” She turned on her heel and went to the sliding door. When she was sure that Lio was following, she continued into the hallway. Lio was not familiar with this part of the temple, as he had been forbidden to enter it for as long as he could remember. The hallways were disturbingly dark, with only a few lanterns on the walls sprinkling light onto their path. Lio had done his best to remember the turns they had taken, but soon found himself confused and lost. That meant that he would need to rely on Heris to leave, something he was not too fond of. But then again, everything that had happened so far had been less than savory. Soon enough, they were ducking into a new room and closing the door behind them. The wooden  _ shoji  _ screen made a soft “tak” sound as it fit into place against the doorframe.

This room at least had proper lighting, which Lio gladly welcomed. He was surprised to see a low table with evening tea set out for the two of them to enjoy. He had been expecting some sort of terrible room adorned with sacrificial tools and imagery, not a rather comfortable-looking sitting room. Cushions on either side of the table indicated where they should sit, and Lio was very thankful for their presence. His clothes were more than a little stifling, and the opportunity to sit would be something he would gladly take advantage of. Just as he’d been trained, Lio waited for Heris to be seated before he took his place across the table. He hated how obedient he’d been conditioned to be, yet he knew that Heris would not tolerate anything other than an absolutely docile bride-to-be.

Truth be told, the desires and emotions that had been building in intensity within him demanded he go on a rampage and destroy everything in the room that he could touch. He felt an intense and hot anger rage within his thin frame like a great inferno and it took all of his willpower to keep it from exploding. 

He didn’t intend to accept this cursed fate, not when Galo had shown him that the world was so much larger than the grounds of the shrine. Not when he had gotten a taste for pizza and a glimpse at a city at night. There was an entire world that he wanted to explore; he would not allow himself to spend the rest of his life trapped atop a lonely mountain at the mercy of a monster. No, he would fight the demon that had been tormenting him in his dreams. He would use the same power that had gotten him into this situation in the first place. But to do that, he needed to save every bit of energy until he was face-to-face with the demon.

And so he sat across the table from Heris, dressed in his glorified costume, and pretended to play the role of the obedient bride-to-be.

“Ma’am,” said a soft voice from behind the  _ shoji _ , “Your tea,”

“Yes, you may bring it in,” said Heris, still staring at Lio.

The door to their room slid open just wide enough for a pair of hands to place a tray onto the floor before closing the door once again.

Heris stood, bringing the tray from the door to the table. Now that it was closer She spoke first, 

Heris spoke first, “I wanted to speak with you before your departure,” she took the teapot into her hands and began pouring into two teacups. Heris moved one in front of Lio and kept the other in front of herself, “It is a tradition for the Head Priestess and the bride-to-be to share a drink together before the ceremony.”

“...I see,” Lio said, taking the cup into his hands. He wrapped his fingers around the cup, enjoying the feeling of the heat moving slowly through his fingers. It was almost enough to burn him, but he didn’t mind. To him, the heat only served as a reminder that he was still alive. Placing the cup to his waiting lips, Lio took a sip. The liquid burned as it went down, but it, too, felt nice compared to the ball of anxiety that had knotted up within his stomach. Drinking tea had become a kind of stress-relief for him growing up, but now he had to fight the urge to relax. He was about to enter into an intense battle for his life and he could not afford to relax even a little.

“I am aware that you view me as a villain, Lio,” Heris said as she looked him directly in his eyes,” If I were in your place, I have little doubt that I would feel the same as you. However, that does not stop me from realizing how important this destiny of yours is. I understand that it is not fair of me to use you to save the town, and I do not ask for you to forgive me. I…” she hesitated for a moment before taking a breath and speaking again, “I have looked after you for most of your life, and I will always cherish my memories that I have of you. I see you almost as my own son, and it is extremely difficult to send someone as precious as you up into that mountain to save all of us. If I could go in place of you, I would do so in less than a heartbeat. But…”

Lio put his cup down, “That is enough.” He looked Heris directly in her eyes, something he had rarely done in the past out of fear and reverence. But that was all gone now. Now, she was just another person. Lio chose his words very carefully as he spoke, “There is much that I believe we both wish to say to each other, but I do not think that those words will do anything but harm us both. I could tell you what this place has done to me, and I could ask you why you did this, but I know that neither of us will admit to being wrong. And I believe that you are aware of this fact as well. Am I wrong?”

Heris shook her head.

“That is what I thought. So tell me, now that that nonsense is settled, what happens next?” Lio asked without batting an eye.

“Now we begin the ceremony,” she said, standing. Lio did the same, “Come, there is much to do.”

* * *

“Not many people know this, but there are a series of tunnels that run under the shrine,” Aina explained as they walked down the winding staircase of the shrine. They had managed to sneak into the shrine relatively easily considering everyone was busy preparing for the ceremony. However, that was not enough to make Galo relax just yet. Heris was still a threat to his plan, after all. He needed to stay vigilant if he was going to be of any help to Lio. 

Aina continued, “There’s some kind of history tied to it, but I’ve never been very interested in that,” she admitted with a small smile, “Lio would know, though. We should ask him once you’ve brought him back,”

“I will.”

“Anyway, there are so many tunnels that it gets pretty crazy. It’s super easy to get lost and nobody has been able to make a super accurate map of them yet, so it’s kinda just up to luck. But the scrolls say that these tunnels connect to any place a man can wish to go, so I think it’s our best shot at finding the matoi.”

“That doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence, but thanks for your help.”

“Take this map with you. Like I said, it isn’t too reliable, but it’s better than nothing, right?” Galo took the map from her and tucked it safely into one of his deep pockets. Aine shot a worried glance towards the stairs they’d taken to come down to the tunnels, “I need to get going before my sister notices that I’m gone. Good luck and be careful, okay?”

“Of course. I’ll see you when I see you.”

“You bet! And don’t even think about coming back without Lio,” she said in a teasing way, bumping the back of her hand against Galo’s chest.

Galo grinned at her, “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

And with that, the two went their separate ways. Galo waited until the soft sound of Aina’s feet faded away before taking a deep breath and entering the maze. While he was grateful for the map, he didn’t intend to rely on it too heavily. No one knew how much time Lio had left before something terrible happened to him, and Galo simply didn’t have the luxury of wasting his time trying to think his way through. He would have to rely on his luck and his willpower to get him to the matoi.

Filled with determination, Galo entered the cavernous maze. A gush of chilled air whipped through the cavern and Galo fought back a shiver. “This is good,” he mumbled to himself, listening to the way his voice echoed off of the walls, “A breeze means that at least one of these passages leads outside”. Galo could see why people got easily lost down here. There were seemingly endless options of passages to go through. Yet only one was correct, and it was his job to find it. 

“Hold on, Lio. I’m coming to help you. Wait for me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End of Chapter 4! It's not looking too good for our boys any more...what are you doing reading this?! Go to the next chapter to find out what happens next!
> 
> This project was completed together with @HeavyyMetalChick, who made some wonderful art for the story. Be sure to give her some love!
> 
> This fic also has a playlist that I listened to while I was writing this! You can find it [here on Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1UmtRX8Duk0gOu1ALyOhkr?si=ujJ-oP1TRe28bNh_tqivKQ)


	6. Till Death Do Us Part

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "So I never say die, aim never untrue  
> I'm never so high as when I'm with you  
> And there isn't a fire that I wouldn't walk through  
> My army of one is gonna fight for you."  
> Army of One, Coldplay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is the reason for the "minor violence" tag. While I don't believe it is explicit, know that there is a good deal of one-sided physical abuse.

It was dark outside by the time Lio began his walk to the foot of the mountain. His fellow _miko_ lined the path, each one holding a red paper lantern to light the way. Lio was grateful for their presence, as it was not easy to walk in the ceremonial clothing, and he had been worried about tripping in the darkness. Though there was still a part of him that wished one of them would jump out and take his place. 

The walk was slow and methodical and gave him enough time for his anxiety to increase. It certainly didn’t help that the closer he got to the mountain, the more intense the demon’s presence felt. He was coming for him, and there was nothing Lio could do about it. 

When he reached the foot of the mountain, he stopped. Heris came up from behind him and presented him with a mask, “One last gift. This mask is for luck. The mountain is covered in demonic magic, and this mask will shield you from some of it. May it serve you during your journey,”

She helped Lio put the mask over his face before stepping back out of sight. 

It did not take long for the demon to come. Lio watched as s dark shadow slinked down the mountain inclines until it was pooling near Lio’s feet. His instincts were yelling at him to run, but he remained still and composed. He refused to show this thing his fear.

Slowly, the shadow grew and morphed, twisting and turning until it began to resemble the shape of a man. The sight was absolutely revolting to Lio, but he did not allow himself to look away. Soon enough, the form stopped shifting, having settled on an appearance.

The demon was very tall, so tall that Lio had to crane his head up to get a good look at him. He was clearly quite muscular, as his clothing clung to his thick arms. His light blond hair had been styled to be slicked back in a way that made him look almost human. But Lio knew better. For whatever reason, he’d shown up wearing a Western-style tuxedo suit, as if that were supposed to impress Lio. What a joke, Lio thought.

“Pleased to make your acquaintance,” said the demon, bowing as he spoke, “My name is Kray Foresight. And you must be my blushing bride. What is your name, darling?”

Lio only glared.

He felt a jab from behind as Heris poked him with her elbow, “My apologies, he must be suffering from wedding jitters. His name is Lio Fotia,”

“I see. Come, let us be gone, Lio. I have plans for you,” Kray grabbed Lio’s elbow and started guiding him into the mountain.

Lio looked back behind him, hoping to see Galo, but instead, he was only met with Heris’s gaze. She waved at him before turning her back and walking back to the shrine. Lio’s heart sunk in his chest. This was really happening. Kray had come to take him away and there was no one to stop him. Sadness and anger boiled within him, and he could feel his inner flame growing stronger. He would not let this happen without a fight. 

* * *

“What do you need me for?” Lio asked as they climbed the mountain, “You are clearly very powerful. Why do you require a bride?”

“Why thank you. You’re right, I am powerful. But not powerful enough. Not yet, anyway,”

“What do you mean?”

“You see, Lio, I am stuck here because of a stupid mistake I made a long time ago. Let’s just say that I learned to be careful with the gods you mess with. I got forced into a silly contract with the humans that forbids me from leaving the mountain so long as I am provided with a powerful bride. That was a pretty nice deal a couple millennia ago, but I’m so bored of this mountain. I want to be free to destroy whatever the hell I want!” Lio was starting to not like the turn that this conversation had taken.

“And I’m so close too! I found out that if I devour the _miko_ that are sent to me, I absorb their power and grow stronger!” He stopped walking to turn to Lio, “And you, dear Lio, you are the last one that I need to finally break free from this prison. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to kill everyone at the bottom of the mountain first so you have some company,” The grin on Kray’s face was that of a mad man; it made Lio’s skin crawl. “Ah, I bet you will be especially delicious. I can tell they put a lot of effort into raising you. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!”

Lio stopped in his place and ripped his arm out of the demon’s hold. He threw the demon the snarkiest, snidest smirk he could conjure, “I am surprised you still desire me after everything I have done and everywhere I have been. I was told you have a rather picky taste, but I supposed I was ill-informed.”

Kray narrowed his eyes, his pupils transforming into mere slits, akin to that of a reptile, “What are you plotting, boy?”

“You are mistaken, Kray- _sama_ , “ Lio spat the honorific out as if it was a bitter taste on his tongue, “It is not what I am plotting, but what I have already done.”

“What?”

“Or perhaps I should say _who_ I have done.”

The air around them began to suddenly chill and the mountain shook with frightening tremors. Lio fought the urge to reach up to cover his arms as his traditional clothing was not fitted for such intense and sudden cold. The wind began to pick up and whip icy blasts of air around his, drying his skin and making his fingers burn. Lio could feel tears pricking at the corners of his eyes before swiftly cooling and vanishing. It was hard to look up at Kray through the wind, but Lio forced himself to. He would not back down to this demon. Not now. Not after everything he had been through. A little wind would not hurt him.

“My, I seem to have caused you great stress, Kray- _sama.”_

Kray shot him a glare that was far colder than the frigid air on the mountain. “Do not toy with me. My patience is not limitless.”

“Oh yes, I am sure. But I assure you that I do not intend to ‘toy’ with you. I simply tell the truth, as I have been raised. Or is that not something that you desire? Perhaps I have been misinformed-”

As the last words were leaving Lio’s lips, they were suddenly cut off along with his breath. Lio flailed his limbs as he struggled to comprehend what was happening to him. He pressed his hands to his neck, only to discover that there was already a hand there, though it was not his own. Kray had crossed the distance between them in a mere instant and had lifted Lio up by his neck, choking him. Lio kicked his legs, desperate to get away, but found it impossible to make any kind of contact. Spots of blackness began to infect his vision as it became harder and harder to breathe.

“You have been tainted?” Kray asked, his voice echoing off the walls of the mountain.

Lio tried his best to throw another smirk, though he doubted it came off that way. “Sssssorry to disa--ah!--point,”

Kray drew his arm back and threw Lio into the nearest wall. His head bounced painfully off of the rock wall before he fell back down to the ground in a crumpled heap. His entire body screamed as he processed the fresh wounds that had bloomed across his entire body. He didn’t dare try to move. 

“If you were any other human I would kill you and the rest of your pathetic village before dawn,” Kray growled, sounding more beast than man. The sound of footsteps grew louder until Kray was standing in front of Lio’s injured form, “But you are special, and I cannot afford for you to die,” Kray knelt down and grabbed Lio’s chin, forcing it up. Lio had no choice but to look the demon in the eyes. “At least, not until I have had my way with you,” Kray screwed his face into a grin that sent a violent chill through Lio’s entire body.

Lio closed his eyes, willing himself to concentrate. He needed to get himself out of this situation while he still had the strength. He had to focus. _Forget Kray. Forget fear. Forget the mountain. Remember how to burn._ He chanted in his head as he tried to get his breathing under control. His power had gotten himself into this situation and it would damn well get him out of it. He imagined a flickering flame igniting in his core, just as he had practiced. With every breath, the flame grew stronger, hotter, until eventually his entire body felt like it was aflame. When he opened his eyes, he pushed that flame from his palms, pleased to see his will actualized. He had done it! A large ball of flame had materialized in his hand and had shot directly at Kray. 

Lio began to prepare himself to stand--he knew he couldn’t stay. That blast was surely not enough to defeat the demon, but it would be enough to allow him to escape the mountain.

...Or it should have been.

As the dust cleared, Lio’s eyes made contact with Kray once again. The demon was completely unharmed. There wasn’t even a single trace of any burning anywhere on the demon. His face, however, had been contorted into an expression of pure wrath.

The fear that Lio had done his best to push down until now began to rise up to the surface once again. It felt like his entire core had been emptied and filled with cold, hard concrete. He felt heavier than he had ever felt in his life, and for the first time in a long time, Lio felt despair. All of the stories he had been told at the shrine had been correct. No matter how strong-willed you are, you will always lose to Kray. There is no use in fighting. You must give up and pray that you die as swiftly and painlessly as possible.

Kray pulled Lio’s head close and pressed his lips to Lio’s ear, “I am going to break you,” he whispered, “Once I am done, you will be in so many little pieces that no one can ever put you back together again. You. Are. _Mine._ ”

His power had failed him. The one thing that was supposed to keep him safe had done absolutely nothing. Lio felt tears at the corners of his eyes as the gravity of his situation began to rest on him. He was at the mercy of this demon and there was nothing he could do to stop him. Lio thought back to his life at the bottom of the mountain. He thought about the shrine, of his fellow mikos, of the townspeople. But most of all, he thought of Galo. Those happy times of secret conversations and late night adventures were over. Lio realized that he would never get to see Galo ever again, would never get to say goodbye or thank you.

Or I love you.

Kray grabbed a fistful of Lio’s hair and started dragging him further up the mountain. Lio allowed himself to drag along the ground. Though debris from the ground was forced into his eyes, it was not the cause of his tears. Lio covered his head with his arms and closed his eyes. All of his courage that he had piled up had come crumbling down, and his fear had begun to seep through. Lio had no idea what Kray would do to him next, but he had a growing feeling that he would not be alive for much longer.

“We’re almost there, are you excited for your big wedding?” Kray asked Lio.

“Shut the hell up,” Lio growled, “Your voice is irritating.”

Kray threw Lio forward and watched him roll to a stop. They had finally reached the top of the mountain. Leo looked around where he’d fallen, gasping when he noticed that he was surrounded by human bones. “What the hell is this?” he asked, his blood running cold.

“Isn’t it obvious? Leftovers from my past ‘wives’. What can I say, I’m a sentimental demon. Don’t worry, you’ll join them after we finish the ceremony,” Kray said, moving towards Lio.

“No, don’t...don’t come closer,” he whimpered.

Kray let out a terrible laugh, “I do so love this part. When you realize that you have no chance and start begging for your life. C’mon, let me hear more,”

“I don’t...feel…” Lio mumbled, “Too much blood…” He began lowering his eyes.

Kray stood over Lio, looking down at him, a grin cracking his face in two, “Come now, we can’t have you dying before we’re wed. I don’t believe in eating unmarried _miko._ They don’t taste as good.”

The moment Kray moved to touch Lio, Lio struck. He conjured multiple fireballs and hurled them at the demon all at once. Lio sprang to his feet, noticing that his plan had worked. Kray was the type of asshole who liked to bully the weak, so he would get within striking range if Lio pretended to be beaten. While he knew his fire wasn’t enough to defeat Kray, it was at least enough to push him back a few meters. 

Taking his chance, Lio ran with all his might. He used his powers to cause boulders to fall from the mountain walls, hoping that it would stall Kray’s pursuit for even a moment. He needed every obstacle he could conjure. He could do this. He would get down the mountain and then he would figure out how to seal Kray on the mountain. It wasn’t exactly a solid plan, but it was better than getting eaten.

Lio took a sharp turn and suddenly felt very woozy. Something was terribly wrong. He stumbled on his feet and fell to the ground. “W-what?” he mumbled as he tried to pull himself up, but his muscles refused to engage. He slid further into the ground. He suddenly felt so tired.

Kray was back over him in seconds, “Ah yes. I see they’re still drugging their _miko_ before the ceremony,” he said with a grin, “They probably didn’t tell you that, did they?”

What was he talking about, Lio wondered. And then he remembered the tea that Heris had given him. That had been drugged?

Lio groaned.

“I must admit that you surprised me back there. I commend you for your effort, as pathetic as it was. Come now, we have a ceremony to get to,”

Lio’s entire being wanted to scream out in agony. His one hope had been crushed by Heris. Yet, his body couldn’t find the energy to scream. Lio blacked out just as Kray started pulling him back to the summit.

* * *

“Fuck these stupid tunnels,” Galo cursed. He had no idea how long he'd spent in the caves, but he wasn’t getting anywhere. Everything looked the same, and yet nothing led to anywhere helpful. He was beginning to believe that Aina had tricked him into coming down here to keep him out of the way.

Galo thought about Lio. He hoped that he was safe. The ceremony was apparently coming soon, but he had no way to stop it without the _matoi._ “Find the _matoi._ Stop the ceremony. Find the _matoi._ Stop the ceremony. Find the _matoi._ Stop the ceremony,” he chanted to himself as he continued to trek through the dark caves. 

Galo stopped when he felt something shift within himself. He didn’t know what the sensation had been, but he had the feeling that Lio needed him. “I won’t get anywhere like this,” he said to no one in particular, “Aina said these tunnels can take a man to wherever he wishes to go…” He decided to sit down and close his eyes in concentration. Lio had told him that he prayed when he needed answers or guidance, and sometimes he got legitimate answers. Galo had never been much of a religious person, but he was willing to try anything at this point. 

_Please, I need to find this_ matoi. _I need to go and help Lio before that demon does something terrible to him. I don’t care who helps me, or what it costs. Please. He needs me._

Galo fought every urge that he had to get up and continue searching. He would give this idea enough time to work before trying something else, even though each second sat there made him anxious.

Just as he was ready to give up, the rock that he had been leaning against fell back. And Galo fell back with it, letting out a surprised yelp when he hit his head on the ground. “Guh?! Ah! Fuck that hurt!” Hur rubbed the back of his head gingerly as he got to his feet. To his surprise, a new path had opened up right where he’d been sitting. “How the hell was I supposed to know that wall moved?!” he yelled, listening to his voice echo off the walls. 

He wasn’t exactly sure what to do next, but following the new path seemed as good an idea as any. This path was straighter than the ones he had been wondering through before, which gave him a little hope that his journey would end soon. He could only hope.

* * *

Lio woke up to one of the worst situations possible. He propped up against a slab of stone, almost entirely incapable of moving his body. The drugs had done their job perfectly. Across the way, Kray noticed that Lio had opened his eyes, “Ah, you’re awake. Just in time. Which one do you like better? Red or white?” He held up two ropes for Lio to see, “Personally, I like the red one, but there’s also something so appealing about white,”

Lio swallowed, wincing when he realized how dry his mouth had become, “Fuck...you.”

Kray frowned, “Must you be like that? This is our marriage day! Cheer up!” Once again, he got in Lio’s face and grinned, “These are the last few moments of your life. You would do best to try to make them as good as possible.”

Lio remained silent.

“Have it your way. We’ll go with red, I think it really brings out the color in my eyes.” He yanked Lio up by the arm. Lio yelped in pain, realizing that his shoulder had been dislocated, but unable to remember when exactly it’d happened.

Kray pulled Lio to the center of the summit, which Lio now noticed was stained with a dity brown color. No doubt the blood from the previous sacrifices. Lio refused to be another blood stain. What could he do? The biggest problem was the drug in his blood. He needed a way to get it out of his system so he could fight.

_What if I burn it away?_

He’d never tried to set himself on fire before, but it could work. If not, he would just burn himself to a crisp before Kray had the chance to devour him. Once again, Lio called on his power, pouring all of his pain and hate into the flame within him. Instead of manifesting it in his palms, he chose to internalize it. He allowed the flame to blaze within him, bringing his temperature up and causing him to break out into an intense sweat.

Lio felt like he was melting, but he could tell that it was starting to work. Felling returned to his fingertips first, and slowly worked their way up his arms and down his legs. Just as he was being brought to the center, Lio flailed his limbs frantically.

That must’ve surprised Kray because he immediately dropped Lio to the ground. Just as Lio was preparing to try to escape again, he felt a sharp pain in his stomach. Kray was kicking him as hard as he could, his face the picture of fury, “When will you learn, little _miko?_ You are mine. You are not going anywhere, so stop struggling right now before I get angry.”

All Lio could do was throw his arms up to cover his head. All of the energy was being kicked out of him. Kray stopped his assault long enough to pick Lio up off of the ground by his hair. “Now then, let’s begin.”

Tears poured from Lio’s bruised eyes. This enemy was far too powerful for him. He would be wed, and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. Lio looked down to see the red rope being tied around his right hand. He wished for the energy to move his hand away, but it never came. 

“I’m sorry, Galo,” Lio whispered.

* * *

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/188145128@N07/49972248423/in/dateposted-public/)

“Holy shit, I actually found it!” Galo yelled out. Right in front of him sat the very thing he’d been searching for: the sacred _matoi._ It was a lot longer than he’d imagined--it would probably be taller than his if he picked it up. It looked like a spear with a fat head and multiple decorative ribbons tied to it. Beside the _matoi_ was, strangely enough, a mask. Aina hadn’t told him about this, but it couldn’t hurt to take it with him. Galo picked it up to inspect it. 

To be honest, it kinda freaked Galo out. It was a deep brown color with golden accents. It had large, golden horns so sharp that Galo was certain he could injure himself with one wrong move.That, coupled with the intense expression on the mask made him want to put it back where he’d found it, but something was telling him to bring it along with the _matoi._ Galo shook his head and stowed the mask away in his bag. He didn’t have time to ponder. Now that he’d found the _matoi,_ he needed to get out and get to Lio.

Leaving the tunnels proved to be an easier feat than entering them. Like before, Galo did his best to quiet his thoughts and let his body move itself through the tunnels. Before he knew it, he was exiting the tunnels, though he was somehow leaving from a different place than he had entered from. To his surprise, Ignis was waiting for him at the mouth of the tunnel. 

Galo would be lying if he said he wasn’t angry at Ignis for refusing to help, but he didn’t have time for petty feelings. He was needed elsewhere.

“Galo,” Ignis said when he noticed him. “I see you found it,”

“Yeah, no thanks to you,” Galo grumbled, “Why are you here?”

“There’s not much time,” Ignis’s tone was much more serious than normal, “You have the mask too, yes?”

Galo produced the mask that he’d found in the caves, “This one?”

“Yes. The demon came and took Lio up the mountain. You must hurry if you’re going to help him. Put the mask on. There’s a spell on the mountain that disorients anyone who tries to follow after the bride. That mask negates demonic magic, so you should be able to get up the mountain without problem,”

Fear washed over Galo from head to toe. “We’ll talk later, but thank you.” Galo took off in the direction of the mountain. _Please hang on for a little longer, Lio._

* * *

Traveling up the mountain had been a test of stamina more than anything. The mask reduced his field of vision drastically, but whenever he tried to remove it, the mountain seemed to get covered in a thick fog. This must have been the magic that Ignis told him about. Galo was starting to get tired as he made his way up the mountain. The _matoi_ wasn’t exactly the lightest of items, but he had to put up with it. This was all for Lio, afterall. 

A scream rang out into the night just as Galo neared the summit. That was Lio’s voice! Galo broke out into a run, “Lio! Lio!” he yelled out, trying to locate him. Galo made it to the top of the mountain, and found Lio in the clearing at the top.

His clothes, usually a pristine white and pure red we’re covered in dirt and riddled with tears. Galo was not sure what could have caused the damage to Lio’s clothes, and he was not too keen on finding out himself.

His usually fair hair was dirty and clumped, as if he had been rolling around in mud. Streaks of blood came from his nose and dropped down his face. A large, red mark was beginning to reveal itself around Lio’s neck, a sign that he had been held by the throat and possibly strangled. And Galo was no doctor, but he was positive that Lio’s left arm was not supposed to bend in the manner that it was.

This was a dangerous place. That man— no, that thing was dangerous as well. He had to take Lio and escape the mountain while they still could.

The demon turned to look at Galo, “This is a surprise. I have never seen another human make it all the way up here before. Congratulations,” Kray mocked.

Galo pointed the _matoi_ at Kray, “Let Lio go now.”

“Oh my, is that the _matoi?_ Where did you even find that useless piece of junk?”

“Let Lio go. Now.” Galo repeated, his face a picture of fury. 

Kray frowned. “I see you are not going to listen to reason. Fine, have it your way.”

In less that a second, Kray had vanished from Lio’s side and reappeared right in front of Galo. Galo tried to stab the demon, but the _matoi_ bounced off of the demon’s body, “Wha-?”

“I told you, that thing is a piece of garbage,” said Kray before slamming his fist into Galo’s side. Galo went tumbling forward, landing near Lio. 

“Galo!” Lio exclaimed, doing his best to move closer to him. It was clear that his injuries were great, as he was only able to move a few inches at a time.

“Don’t worry, Lio. I’m here to help you,”

“He’s too powerful! He’ll kill you!”

“Not while I have this,” Galo said, grabbing a hold of the _matoi_ once again, “This weapon was made to beat him, and that’s exactly what I’m gonna do!” He charged Kray again and swung the _matoi._

Lio watched as Galo kept getting knocked down, tears running down his face with every blow that Galo took. He wanted to jump up and help, but his body was so beaten that it was near impossible. Still, he couldn’t just watch the man he was in love with get killed. Lio made fireballs in his hands and shot them at Kray as he’d been doing before. If anything, perhaps they could give Galo the opening he needed to get a good hit in. 

Yet, no matter how much Lio and Galo fought, neither one was able to do any substantial damage to the demon. Kray laughed, “You don’t get it, do you? I have the power of countless _miko_ within me. I have devoured wind, earth, and water _miko_ by the dozen; their powers are nothing to me. And you, my little bride, are so weak that your fire is nothing but a tickle. Pathetic. Truly pathetic. You’ll both die here!”

Galo managed to block the attack, but was sent flying backward. He landed next to Lio with a groan. They couldn’t go on like this. At this rate, they would die and Kray would be free to run rampant in the world. They had to do something!

Lio stared at the _matoi_ that had fallen from Galos hands. He felt inexplicably pulled towards the _matoi_ in a way that he couldn’t resist. As he got closer, he began to understand what it was that the _matoi_ needed from him. The _matoi_ had been forged with the powers from the wind, earth, and water priestesses. It had failed to contain Kray because it was **incomplete.** Lio touched his fingers to the _matoi_ and he allowed his energy to flow from him and into the sacred weapon. Slowly, the _matoi_ began to glow with an incredible light. Lio smiled as he watched it charge with the sacred power, and he looked at Galo. 

Galo returned the look and gripped the _matoi_ once again. Bracing the _matoi_ against the ground, Galo stood himself back up. He reached down and helped Lio to his feet as well. Together, they held the _matoi_ up for their final attack.

Kray looked at the again and laughed, “What do you think you’re doing? I can’t believe you’re really trying again. Are you suicidal? Or just stupid?” Kray flexed his talons threateningly, “Either way, you’ll be dead soon.”

“I don’t think so!” yelled Galo, “We’re gonna make you eat your words!”

“Your reign of terror is over, Kray!” Lio added.

The next few moments happened in a blur. Kray charged towards them, talons posed for his attack, but the _matoi_ was faster. Lio and Galo struck quickly, jamming the _matoi_ into the center of Kray’s chest. This time, the _matoi_ went through the demon, impaling him in an instant. Kray gasped and looked down at the weapon that was sticking through his torso, “That’s...that’s not possible. How…?” Kray stuttered, surprise taking over his entire face.

“Now no one will live in fear of you ever again. Goodbye, Kray.” Lio said, jabbing the _matoi_ even further. The two watched as Kray’s body slowly began to crystallize from the chest out, turning his body into a kind of statue. As soon as the transformation was complete, it shattered. The pieces of crystal twinkled in the moonlight as they fell to the ground. Each piece began to glow with the same light that the _matoi_ had and, one by one, they were absorbed into the _matoi._

They’d done it: Kray had been sealed within the _matoi._ They were finally safe.

Galo dropped the _matoi_ to the ground and took Lio into his arms as carefully as possible. He was still so furious at the numerous bruises and cuts that were scattered across Lio’s face, but that was all overpowered by the immense relief he felt that Lio was still alive. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here sooner,”

Lio shook his head, “No, I’m just glad you came,”

Galo chuckled, “Your mannerisms are different. Finally decided to upgrade?”

Lio playfully hit Galo’s chest with his hand, “Shush. I don’t have to be the perfect bride anymore, so I figured I’d drop the act.”

Galo leaned down and kissed Lio, doing his best to avoid the cuts that he had. “I like this honest you.”

“Yeah, I think I do too,” Lio looked down at the _matoi_ that had been so unceremoniously dumped to the ground, “What do we do with it now?”

“I’m not really sure. But I bet Ignis and Aina know,”

“Wait, you know Aina?”

“She’s the one who told me about the _matoi._ ”

Lio smiled to himself, “That sounds just like her,”

Galo took the _matoi_ in one hand and Lio’s hand in the other, “Let’s get going. We’ve got a long walk down.”

* * *

2 months later

“I’m gonna be late, Aina!” Lio exclaimed with a pout.

“Oh, whatever. I’m trying to make sure you’re all set for the road,” she rolled her eyes and continued to stuff more snacks into Lio’s travel bag, “You’ll need snacks if you’re gonna survive the drive,”

“We’ll be fine! I promise,” Lio grabbed the bag from her hands and zipped it up.

Aina stood and crushed Lio into a big hug, “Please don’t forget to write, okay? I’m gonna miss you so much,”

“I’ll miss you too. And thank you again, for everything. I don’t know if I’d be here without you.”

“Stop that! You’re gonna make me cry!” She covered her eyes with her hands, “Get out of here already! Your stupid boyfriend is waiting for you!”

Lio smiled, “I’m going, I’m going. See you,”

“See you,”

Lio took his remaining bags and left his room. He found a waiting Galo by the car outside. “You done with your goodbyes?” Galo asked.

“As done as I can be. Heris didn’t want to do the whole mushy goodbye thing.”

“Typical,” Galo huffed.

“But she did assure me that the _matoi_ is being kept in a safe place. I think it’s her way of trying to make up for everything that she did. What about you? Did you properly thank Ignis?”

Galo looked at him like he’d asked him if the sky was pink. “Of course!”

Shortly after the events on the mountain, Ignis explained that he had a duty to observe and record the events of the town. He was only allowed to interfere whenever there was a serious enough reason to do so, and his provoking Galo was a way to allow him to steer Galo in the correct direction. Despite that, Ignis had apologized to both Lio and Galo for his lack of help. It took Galo a while to accept the apology, but Lio was happy to see that the two had managed to reconcile. “I’m gonna miss him,” Galo said.

“We can always come back, you know?” Lio reminded him, “We’re gonna have to every once and awhile or Aina will come hunt us down,”

Galo shivered. “I can’t imagine that ending well for either of us,”

“Agreed,”

Lio threw his bag into the truck and climbed into the passenger’s seat. He never thought he would see the day when he would leave the shrine for good. Today, he would start a new chapter of his life, one that would focus on what he wanted to do for once! He still hadn’t decided quite what that would look like yet, but he was looking forward to making that discovery as he went. Galo had given him the chance to live their lives together, and Lio intended to hold on tight to this chance and never let go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end! It's crazy to think that I finally have a completed project under my belt now *gasp*. Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to read my crazy little story.  
> I was worried about Lio being too out of character when I was writing this story. I wanted to show a meeker side to him that is the result of constant oppression. And it’s not until he sees Galo getting angry for him that Lio’s signature temper shows up. However, that means that for most of this story, Lio is talking in a very polite and calm way. I hope y’all won’t hate me for that ^_^;;  
> I want to thank @HeavyyMetalChick once again for the wonderful art and for making my crazy ideas reality. Go give her lots of love!!!  
> This fic also has a playlist that I listened to while I was writing this! You can find it [here on Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1UmtRX8Duk0gOu1ALyOhkr?si=ujJ-oP1TRe28bNh_tqivKQ)
> 
> And finally, Happy Promare Anniversary!


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